Tips for Efficient, Comprehensive Internet Research Transportation

TR NEWS

NUMBER 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006

3 Fast Lanes on the Transportation Information Superhighway: Tips for Efficient, Comprehensive Internet Research 3 Bonnie Osif The Internet can function like a well-paved superhighway with excellent signage, or it can be a potholed detour with no roadside assistance and an undesirable destination. An engineering librarian offers a primer for savvy usage of the web for transportation research, covering search engines and search tips, the invisible web, web portals, indexes and abstracts, library resources, monitoring misinformation, keeping up, and more. 6 Online Portal to European Research Colin Howard 9 Publications Index Retooled

10 NEW TRB SPECIAL REPORT Transportation Knowledge Networks: 13 A Management Strategy for the 21st Century Nancy P. Humphrey With the downsizing and closing of several transportation libraries, a TRB study committee was charged to provide strategic advice to the federal government and the states on the core needs for transportation information services and on a sustainable administrative structure and funding mechanism to meet those needs. The recommendations involve the establishment of transportation knowledge networks regionally and at the federal level to link information providers to users.

13 POINT OF VIEW Global Trade Flows and Transportation Challenges: Directions for Freight Systems Research Paul Bingham, Mary R. Brooks, and Robert Harrison 19 The ability of the U.S. freight transportation system to handle rapid growth in international trade is limited—a long-term planning and research perspective is needed and should begin now, the authors maintain. They note that TRB can encourage efforts to strengthen multimodal freight planning, to recognize the role of freight transportation in the nation’s economy, and to stimulate research to support the development of a freight network that can secure U.S. competitiveness in a global economy.

17 SIGNALS Research Is the Foundation: Reflections on the Past and Future of the Interstate Highway System Michael D. Meyer The history of the development of the Interstate Highway System makes clear that analysis, research, and investigation were at the foundation, observes the author, 2006 Chair of the TRB Executive Committee. Design standards, materials, right-of-way requirements, bridge loadings, and other critical components of highway design were in place before the program started. Similar data-based, problem-focused, and performance- COVER: The Internet is an invaluable measured efforts are needed now to enhance the system’s performance. tool for disseminating information and linking transportation professionals around the world. Successfully navigating this ever-expanding network requires care, know-how, and keeping up to speed with the latest in web search technology and trends. TR NEWS features articles on innovative and timely 19 TRB 2006 ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS research and development activities in all Focusing on Transportation’s Critical Issues: modes of transportation. Brief news items of interest to the transportation community are Sharing Achievements, Gearing Up for Solutions also included, along with profiles of transpor- With attendance passing 10,200, TRB’s 85th Annual Meeting presented a program tation professionals, meeting announcements, of more than 500 sessions, 70 workshops, and 250 committee meetings, with a total summaries of new publications, and news of of 1,800 papers, plus awards, honors, exhibits, special events, and featured Transportation Research Board activities. speakers. Four spotlight themes and the debut of the latest edition of Critical Issues in Transportation provided a focus. New research programs were launched, TR News is produced by the anniversaries celebrated, and new leaders took office. A selection of photos shows Transportation Research Board some of the highlights. Publications Office Javy Awan, Editor and Publications Director Christopher R. D’Amore and Margaret Hagood, Assistant Editors Juanita Green, Production Manager ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Michelle Wandres, Graphic Designer

TR News Editorial Board 33 Calendar Neil F. Hawks, Chairman Walter J. Diewald Christopher J. Hedges 34 Research Pays Off Frederick D. Hejl Improving Guide Sign Legibility: Mark R. Norman Stephan A. Parker New Lettering Reads Larger, Clearer, Farther Barbara L. Post Paul J. Carlson A. Robert Raab

Transportation Research Board 36 Profiles Robert E. Skinner, Jr., Executive Director Transportation infrastructure policy adviser Henry G. R. Kerali and pavement Suzanne B. Schneider, Associate Executive researcher Roger E. Smith Director Mark R. Norman, Director, Technical Activities 38 TRB Highlights Stephen R. Godwin, Director, Studies and Information Services Anthony N. Mavrogiannis, Director, 39 Bookshelf Administration and Finance Robert J. Reilly, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Neil F. Hawks, Director, Special Programs

TR News (ISSN 0738-6826) is issued bimonthly by the COMING NEXT ISSUE Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. Internet address: www.TRB.org. The 50th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System is the subject of feature articles in the May–June TR News. Authors examine how the Interstate came to be, Editorial Correspondence: By mail to the Publications Office, Transportation Research Board, 500 Fifth what the Interstate has meant to the nation, and the many engineering achieve- Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, by telephone ments involved, as well as the system’s effects on society, urban development, the 202-334-2972, by fax 202-334-3495, or by e-mail supply chain, and more. [email protected].

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Notice: The opinions expressed in articles appearing in TR News are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Transportation Research Board. The Transportation Research Board and TR News do not endorse products of manufacturers. Trade and manufacturers’ names appear in an article only because they are considered essential to its object. Sign announcing one of the many firsts of the Interstate Highway System, on Highway Printed in the United States of America. 40, now Interstate 70, St. Charles County, Missouri, 1956. Copyright © 2006 Transportation Research Board. All rights reserved. TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 3 “Permitted the cherished freedom of personal “Permitted the cherished freedom “Enhanced international security.” At approximately the same time that President At approximately   mobility to flourish,” and Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid High- being used way Act of 1956, computer networks were and for a defense system. These for airline reservations and it wasn’t however, rudimentary, networks were Agency Projects until 1969 that the Advanced Research of Defense imple- of the U.S. Department (ARPA) a connection of computers at sev- mented ARPANET, locations. This eral government and university research the beginning of the Internet. is commonly considered ). They noted 1 , published in 1996, Wen- Tips for Efficient, Comprehensive Internet Research Tips for Efficient, Comprehensive Internet Research Transportation Information Superhighway Fast Lanes on the Lanes on Fast BONNIE OSIF Transportation Information Superhighway Fast Lanes on the Lanes on Fast 40 Years of the U.S. Interstate Highway Sys- 40 Years n tem: An Analysis of the Best Investment a Nation Ever Made a “Without dell Cox and Jean Love wrote, “Positioned the nation for improved interna- “Positioned the nation for improved “Enriched the quality of life for virtually every “Enriched the quality of life for virtually injuries, Saved lives and prevented Returned value for investment,     that the highway system has first-class system of Interstate highways, life in ( America would be far different” tional competitiveness,” American,” I The author is and engineering reference instruction librarian, Engineering Library, Pennsylvania State She is a University. Library member of TRB’s and Information Science for Transportation Committee and the Conduct of Research Committee. 4 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 paradoxical directions. web searchcanleadin Yogi Berra.Theforksina is asayingattributedto fork intheroad,takeit” “When youcometoa resources becamethetoolofmasses. and theWorld Wide Web ofhyperlinkedInternet icons andwords. In1993thisinterface becamepublic that changedelectronic fileaccesspointstohyperlinked for CERN,theEuropean CouncilforNuclearResearch, tories. Tim Berners-Leedevelopedagraphicalinterface net Protocol orIPaddresses—or through rough direc- accessed byknowncomputersiteaddresses—the Inter- mouse. Inthebeginning,Internetwastextualand faces evolvedthatnoware activatedattheclickofa nically denseprogramming, theprotocols andinter- roadside assistanceandan undesirabledestination. worth traveling,oritcanbeapotholeddetourwithno well-paved superhighway withexcellentsignageand in twoparadoxicaldirections. TheInternetcanbea depicts thedichotomyofInternet—theroad forks be betweenthetwoextremes. Thecartoon below warnings voicedaboutthenewmedium.Thetruthmay web, caricaturingboththehighpraiseanddire ica wouldbefardifferent,” bothatworkandleisure. hesitation isthatwithouttheInternet,“lifeinAmer- be debatable. enhancement ofinternationalsecurity, however, may has contributedtotheimprovement oflife.Theweb’s sion ontheInternet.Thefree exchangeofinformation ethicoffreedomthe almostoverwhelming ofexpres- money, andhaspermittedfreedom toflourishthrough ble, hasreturned valueforinvestmentsoftimeand making somuchqualityinformationreadily accessi- The informationsuperhighway hasenrichedlivesby information superhighway havemanysimilarities. by CoxandLovethebenefitsoffigurative The benefitsoftheliteralsuperhighways asdescribed Paradoxical Directions

From thissmall,exclusivenetworkbasedontech- The best-plannedtriponthishighwaycanturn Many cartoonists havetakenonthesubjectof The onestatementthatcanbeparaphrasedwithout

T. O T. I SIF BY LLUSTRATION search enginesatthesametime. Theseinclude metasearch engine,aninterface thatemploysseveral (scholar.google.com) isanexample. Scholar content toenablespecializedsearches. Google “google theweb.” synonymous with“search”—people saytheywill sites, issowidelyusedthatitsnamehasbecomeaverb A fewofthemore popularincludethefollowing: which grow exponentially. the spidercreates awebofever-expanding pages, links from awebpagetocollectwebsites.Inthisway, crawlers, automaticprograms thatfollowthehyper- search engine.Mostsearch enginesusespidersorweb The mostpopularwaytonavigatethewebiswitha Search Engines and 1.8percent ofAfricaare connectedtotheInternet. ica, 8.9percent ofAsia,8.3percent oftheMiddleEast, of OceaniaandAustralia,12.5percent ofLatinAmer- States, 36.8percent ofEurope,the United 49.2percent percent worldwide( growth inusagebetween2000and2005hasbeen160 anything andanybodycanbefoundontheweb. publishing relatively easy, informationaboutalmost staggering. With nocoordinating bodyandwithweb Since the1990sgrowth oftheInternethasbeen Staggering Growth pages, makingit invisibletothespiderthatissearch- webpageislinkedtoother the “deepweb.”Notevery does notincludewhatiscalled the “invisibleweb”or The numberofhitsonawebsearch maybevastbut Invisible Web roadkill ontheinformationsuperhighway. and helpasearch from becomingtheequivalent of preparation andknowledgecansavetimeeffort— unexpectedly intoanightmarishdeadend.Alittle          Another wayofsearching the webiswitha A recent developmentistheseparationofscholarly Google, whichindexesmore than8billionweb- Web usershavetheirownfavoritesearch engines. According totheInternetWorldStats website, Webcrawler (www.webcrawler.com). Vivisimo (vivisimo.com);and Izito (izito.com); Excite (www.excite.com); A9 (a9.com). Teoma (www.teoma.com); and Yahoo (www.yahoo.com); Altavista (www.altavista.com); Google (www.google.com); 2 ). Approximately 68percent of TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 5 For greater accuracy, the search terms should be as terms the search accuracy, For greater other and Boolean operators are Phrase searching results may not be related to the intent of the search not be related may results for products. advertisements and often the first hits are advanced exact as possible. The instructions for ways to phrase and limit a precise give more searches These include limits by language, by the type search. posting the web page—for example, of organization for a gov- .edu for an educational institution, or .gov ernment site—or by the country of origin. For tips on how to per- means to fine-tune a search. engine in use, consult form these tasks on the search usually a click away. which is the help screen, SearchEngineWatch (searchenginewatch.com) SearchEngineWatch Infopeople (www.infopeople.org) offers tutori- offers Infopeople (www.infopeople.org) Phil Bradley’s Finding Information: Search Does the search engine allow truncation and Does the search What is the role of advertising on the site— of advertising What is the role engine allow Boolean searches Does the search How often does the search engine update? How often does the search is the search? How precise Turbo10 (turbo10.com). Turbo10 Find Articles (www.findarticles.com); Find Articles Complete Planet (www.completeplanet.com); Discovery (www.rdn.ac.uk); Network Resource and Scirus (www.scirus.com); For example, a database created on a topic may on a a database created For example, Getting results or hits from a web search is seldom a web search or hits from Getting results              Search Tips Search engines well—along with Learning one or two search When a search their idiosyncrasies—is recommended. expected, or does not yield the results is important the cov- improve engine may running a second search erage. of information, tips, and reviews Some sources of websites include the following: Users should read the search tips and do some inves- the search Users should read engine they use. Questions to tigation into the search ask include the following: Choosing an Engine have no links to a web page. When a topic is searched, to a web page. When have no links to generated dynamically in response are the records made, or links are record No permanent the query. is to invisibility after the user return and these records engines finished with the results. search Specialized access these sites and make these to have been created include engines These search web pages searchable. the following: ing the web. Many of these unseen pages can be Many of these unseen ing the web. valuable. extremely the problem. The problem is the overwhelming flood The problem the problem. which a typical search, from of information that results long. Many of the usually is only one or two words has news, a blog, search tips, and more; some links tips, and more; has news, a blog, search paid membership. but others require free, are als, tips on evaluating resources, and charts on search and charts als, tips on evaluating resources, engine characteristics; lists Engines (www.philb.com/whichengine.htm) and for a specific search; the best resources wildcards? does advertising have an effect on the order in which on the order have an effect does advertising will be displayed? the results and “not”? by adding “and,” “or,” 6 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 T Gladbach, Germany;and Transports etleurSecurite),Arcueil,France; Públicas, Madrid,Spain. Limited, Crowthorne, UnitedKingdom. The authorisHead,Information PublishingServices,TRL languages throughtheappropriatelanguagecoordinatingcenter: than 23countriesprovideinputtotheITRDdatabaseinoneof four in thefieldoftransportation. the sharingofpublishedinformationandongoingresearch ment hasoverseenthedevelopmentofITRDtofacilitate the OrganisationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelop- research. Since1972theRoadTransport ResearchProgramof published informationontransportationand     More than30renownedinstitutesandorganizationsfrommore (ITRD) databaseisacooperativeworldwideof he InternationalTransport ResearchDocumentation German—Bundesanstalt fürStrassenwesen,Bergisch French—INRETS (InstituteNationaldeRecherchesurles Spanish—Centro deEstudios y ExperimentacióndeObras English—TRL Limited,Crowthorne,U.K.; government’s scienceandtechnologyinformation. government’s and hosts generalandspecializedreference resources; way togovernmentinformation”; Computing; Internet GuidetoEngineering,Mathematics,and (TRIS)Online; Services Research Information and reports, andmore, andhostsTransportation which offers databases,datasets,full-textresources Web Portals portals are usefulintransportation andrelated fields: include marginal orbiasedsites.Thefollowingweb the fieldandwithoutanyeconomicincentiveto have beenevaluatedbyapersonknowledgeablein degree ofconfidenceinthereturned webpages,which more narrowly focusedresults, andprovide ahigher web portal willdecrease thenumberofhits,produce begin atanevaluated,specializedsite.A Another, oftenpreferable waytosearch thewebisto      Science.gov, whichisthegatewaytoU.S. (www.ipl.org),Internet PublicLibrary which Firstgov (firstgov.gov), whichprovides a“gate- EEVL (www.eevl.ac.uk/), asthe whichserves National Transportation (ntl.bts.gov), Library Online PortaltoEuropean Research COLIN HOWARD available fromOvidTechnologies (www.ovid.com). Information Services(TRIS)Database ontheTRANSPORT product karlsruhe.de/). ITRDiscombined withtheTransportation Research ITRD Onlineisavailablethrough STNInternational(www.fiz- language oftheabstract. to besearchedbytheterm’s code,whichisthesamewhatever German, orSpanish.Thequadrilingualthesaurusallowsallrecords is availableinoneofthefourofficial languages—English,French, erence coversresearchinprogress. journal articles,andconferenceproceedings.Asecondtypeof ref- published worldwideontransportation,includingreports,books, TRANSPORT CD-ROM. ITRD viatheInternetorothercomplementarychannelssuchas the literature andtoongoingresearchareavailableelectronicallyfrom 350,000 bibliographicalreferencestothetransportationresearch ideas andtechnologiesaccessibleinatimelyway. Morethan intended topreventoverlapandreinvention,whilemakingnew For moreinformation, visittheITRDwebsite, www.itrd.org. Membership isnotrequiredfor searchingtheITRDdatabase. More than10,000referencesareaddedeachyear. Eachrecord Each recordcontainsaninformativeabstractfromtheliterature The sharingofresearchandexperiencethroughITRDis Indexes andAbstracts a market. the trend hasbeentoconvert anymaterialsthathave resources are notyetinelectronic format,although normally availableonlyforafee.Manyprinted paper, inmostcases,willnot. web search butthefull-textarticle orconference charge. Citationsfrom thesetitlesmayturnupona fields andmakethecontentsavailableonlyata the academicjournalsintransportation andrelated portion isnot.Commercial presses publishmostof video, technicalreports, andwhitepapers. pedias, journalandmagazinearticles, maps,real-time databases, datasets,dictionaries,directories, encyclo- resources suchasbibliographies,conference papers, The weboffers arangeofresources, includingfull-text Free orFee? (ITRD, www.itrd.org/), andTransport, which com- International Transport Research Documentation tion. Themajortransportation databasesare TRIS, access tomanyinformationresources intransporta- Indexes andabstractingdatabasesprovide formal Books, handbooks,andmanystandards alsoare Although muchofthewebisfree, asignificant TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 7 The credentials of the author or authors, The credentials of the publisher or host of the The reputation ENGnetBASE from CRC Press (www.engnet- Press CRC ENGnetBASE from McGraw- The Digital Engineering Library from Knovel (www.knovel.com). Another trend is that searchable reference titles are reference is that searchable Another trend These aggregated electronic libraries provide fast, libraries provide electronic These aggregated      Finding the Right Information Evaluating the materials posted on the web is a crucial As with print materials, not step, but not difficult. everything published on the web comprises valid, reliable information. As with print, the criteria for web document evaluation are Electronic Libraries Electronic white papers, books, data sets, Documents, reports, available in full text on the increasingly are and more (DOTs) of transportation web. Many state departments and several trans- electronically, publishing reports are on the web. available for free are magazines portation collec- being made available in full text in electronic to a fee-based and place links tions. These services are informa- titles and specific number of pertinent large the computer’stion from collections desktop. Three are engineering that address website, base.com); and Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com/); full-text access to information. The majority of the handbooks, encyclope- works in these collections are titles. dias, manuals, and other reference ). 3 TLCat is a specialized transportation catalog of TLCat is a specialized transportation The Midwest Transportation Knowledge Network The Midwest Transportation Thorough coverage may require consulting other may require coverage Thorough Information Service The National Technical by searchable In general, these databases are service. an alerting The Many databases provide the holdings of the MTKN plus other transportation the NTL website collections, with a guest link from (http://ntl.bts.gov/link.cfm). TLCat allows transpor- and librarians to locate libraries tation researchers a loan. with the items needed and to request (MTKN) is an example of a transportation consor- (MTKN) is an example of a transportation of transporta- tium: “A network of state department libraries in the tion and academic transportation Midwest, . . . the network is a forum to pool resources ( and best practices” expertise [and] share A database search produces a list of records for arti- a list of records produces A database search book chapters, conferences, papers, cles, conference will pro- websites, and the like. The record reports, the infor- vide a link to the full text of an item or to is not If an article mation for finding the article. a can request most organizations available locally, or they networks, consortial copy or a loan through Libraries cannot collect all of copy. a will purchase and there- necessary their patrons for the resources and have joined together to collect, organize, fore needs efficiently. lend materials to meet research Library Consortia databases. Compendex—or the Computerized Engi- Compendex—or the databases. engineering, going of all areas neering Index—covers as 1884, and indexing as far back in the literature papers with some and conference journal articles The and books. dissertations, coverage of reports, several vendors. through database is available published reports indexes technical (www.ntis.gov) the United from are the reports since 1967. Most of included. are reports States, but many international The publi- of Automotive Engineers indexes Society the world in around cations from Mobil- SAE Global materials, Other specialized databases cover ity. Librar- subjects. and related environment, aerospace, avail- are ians can help determine which databases specialized able and how to gain access when the need arises. or a combination subject words, title words, author, Except can be limited by year. of these, and the search a subscription, for TRIS, all of these databases require a fee- either to the individual database or through based vendor such as Dialog or which host sev- STN, eral databases. and an automatic notice is sent a profile, user creates added to the data- are via e-mail when new records base that meet the user’s criteria. bines the TRIS and ITRD databases. and ITRD databases. bines the TRIS 8 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 tions, statistical information,andmore. Bookmark- local, national,andinternational websites,publica- (www.dot.state.mn.us/library), whichhaslinksto lent exampleistheMinnesota DOTLibrary and otherorganizations haveusefulsites. Anexcel- university transportation orengineeringlibraries, catalogs. tion library and TLCat,theonlineunioncatalogoftransporta- TRIS Online,NTLincludesareference collection professionals, students,andthepublic.Alongwith wealth ofinformationorganized fortransportation and InnovativeTechnology Administration,offers a links. TheNTL,hostedbytheU.S.DOTResearch neering andtechnology, withsometransportation Scotland, isoneofthebestportals forgeneralengi- evaluated. EEVL,hostedatHeriotWatt Universityin that goesdirectly towebresources thathavebeen and thetextitself. ship, references, dates ofsubmissionandupdating, from URLsorwebaddresses, attributionsofauthor- whether ornottheevaluationcriteriahavebeenmet: fore mustconsiderfrom theinformationavailable ing process andprofessional review. Thereader there- reports, papers,andarticles gothrough arigorous edit- the resources canbeachallenge.Manyprintbooks, tion, and tion,    In additiontothesetwoportals, manystateDOTs, A webportal, orgateway, canfunctionasafilter Because publishingonthewebiseasy, evaluating The absenceofbias. The reliability andaccuracyoftheinforma- The timelinessandcurrency oftheinforma- tion ofwebdocuments: of hitsthatare routinely returned byasearch engine. ing thesesitescansavetimesiftingthrough thepages web guidestoseveraltopics. which actsasadirectory ofInternetresources; and which hasthemotto“Informationyoucantrust,”and resources; which provides objective,criticalreviews of web Information Centers(ntl.bts.gov/tldir); gends.about.com/). the Internet;and ious formsofmisinformationthatare commonon especially usefulforsoftware virusrumorsandvar- These include mation are essential. same evaluationcriteriausedinassessingprintinfor- information abound.Commonsenseandsomeofthe top, reliability hasbecomeanissue.Rumorsandmis- researchers computerdesk- toanicononalmostevery from aspecializedandrelatively exclusivetoolof As theInternethasgainedinpopularityandevolved Monitoring Misinformation a librarianforrecommendations. tent criticallytoseeifitisworth bookmarking,orask find ausefulblog,search thewebandevaluatecon- and providing search tipsandpertinent websites. newsletter, reporting on new resources andservices, write blogsthatare similartoanelectronic library Several librarians valuable forkeepingupwithatopic. tools inpolitics.Intheinformationworld,blogscanbe ects are the kindsoftopicssuitedtothisservice. interest. Travel alerts, road construction,andnewproj- valuable forkeepingup-to-dateontopicsofspecific andis functions asasemicustomizablenewsservice notice viae-mail,usuallywithlinkstothefulltext.RSS of interest; thensendsthesubscriberabrief theservice that scansRSS-friendlywebpagesforitems a service usercansubscribeto Summary—a Site tion Format) Summary,Site cation, Rich orRDF(Resource Descrip- Syndi- Simple Through RSS—whichstandsforReally Other Web Services       A fewothersitesare worth notingfortheevalua- Several websitesmonitorInternetmisinformation. Blogs haveproliferated buttendtobetransitory. To Blogs, orweblogs,havegainednotorietyaspopular WWW Virtual (vlib.org), Library whichlists Librarians’ IndextotheInternet(www.lii.org), Scout Project (scout.wisc.edu/), The Internet Directory ofTransportation Librariesand Urban LegendsandFolklore (http://urbanle- Snopes.com (www.snopes.com/), whichis TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 9 . 40 Years of the U.S. Interstate Highway 40 Years Publications Index Retooled Index Publications he Transportation Research Board (TRB) has launched a new and has launched a Board (TRB) Research he Transportation its online Publications Index at http://pubsin- enhanced version of Both simple and advanced query screens are available, allowing Both simple and advanced query screens record to the full-text doc- Links are provided from the bibliographic Index, contact Barbara For more information about the TRB Publications The TRB Publications Index is a searchable bibliographic database Index is a searchable bibliographic The TRB Publications System: An Analysis of the Best Investment a Nation Ever Made (accessed Septem- www.publicpurpose.com/freeway1.htm ber 9, 2005), p. 2. (accessed September 9, 2005). (accessed org/about.htm September 7, 2005). searches by author, title, series, conference, abstract, index terms, and searches by author, reviews several fields date. The default keyword search automatically with a single query. to information about website—and ument—if it is available on TRB’s can be displayed, downloaded, or ordering the document. Search results e-mailed. Post, [email protected]. dex.trb.org (or click on Publications Index in the left-hand menu on the on Publications Index in the left-hand dex.trb.org (or click TRB home page, www.TRB.org). reports pub- 30,000 records of papers, articles, and containing more than well as by the Cooperative Research Programs, as lished by TRB and the Program, and Board, the Strategic Highway Research Highway Research from 1923 to date. the Marine Board, T References 1. and J. Love. Cox, W., 2. Stats. www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm Internet World 3. Knowledge Network. www.mtkn. Midwest Transportation in what direction. Have a map, understand the road in what direction. to detours and warnings. Under- signs, and be alert standing what is and what is not on the web, the search tools, and the basic terminology—and having some make a journey on the infor- sense of adventure—will and useful as a drive efficient as mation superhighway along Route 80. Google Groups (http://groups.google.com/). Google Groups CataList (www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html); CataList (www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html); and Net (www.tile.net/); Tile Savvy users learn to drive a browser on the infor- Savvy users learn to drive a browser is the Some claim the information superhighway is Others claim that the information superhighway work is the Making the information superhighway Get to know your local librarian in person or by e- Get to know your local librarian in person List servers or discussion groups cover a range of cover List serversdiscussion groups or    mation superhighway the same way they learn to drive mation superhighway of practice, a car—with knowledge of the rules, lots conditions. Although and constant evaluation of road not every item of information is available on the Inter- worth destinations are net—especially for free—many use of the Internet. to learn for efficient the effort since high-occu- best thing since sliced bread—or pancy vehicle lanes or E-Z Pass. It puts a wealth of information at the desktop of anyone with access to a networked computer or to almost any device with novels to finding reading From network capability. state, the laws in a particular helmet motorcycle information is there. mess of pages with poorly organized an overcrowded, and that determining what is and is not little of worth, the Both sides—and those in using is difficult. worth right. middle—are same as making the Interstate system work. Know the destination and determine the highway to follow and The Internet can be both a waste of time and a fantastic The Internet can be both a waste of time and the disseminator of time- and money-saving timesaver, This information, as well as of misleading information. in the openness, free- is the paradox of the web, inherent ubiquitous dom, and ease of access in this seemingly the web medium. Applying a little know-how can make information. yield a wealth of important Savvy Usage mail. If problems arise with a search or with a database, a search arise with mail. If problems is prob- ask the librarian for suggestions—the librarian pointers to and can provide web user ably a regular a search. refocus or refine Like smart travelers checking road updates from state from updates checking road travelers Like smart keeps up with changes Internet user the smart DOTs, engines of favorite search in the web. Periodic reviews advisable to discover any tips are or database search changes to the sites. “What’s helpful. new” links are Register for updates if the service is offered. Keeping Up topics. Most TRB committees have e-mail groups for e-mail groups TRB committees have topics. Most activities. Inter- to discuss committee their members to receive the subscription list must join ested parties Lists of the group. e-mails within and send regular can be located via interest 10 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 Director forthisproject. and servedasStudy Information Services, Division ofStudiesand Program Officer, TRB The authorisSenior NANCY P. HUMPHREY A ManagementStrategyforthe21stCentury Knowledge Networks Transportation REPORT TRB SPECIAL Lisa Zeimer, Parsons Brinckerhoff QuadeandDouglas,Baltimore,Maryland Roberto A.Sarmiento,Northwestern University, Evanston,Illinois Bonnie A.Osif,PennsylvaniaState University, UniversityPark Ellen (Leni)Oman,Washington State DepartmentofTransportation, Michael D.Meyer, GeorgiaInstituteofTechnology, Atlanta Nina McLawhorn,WisconsinDepartmentofTransportation, Madison Charles R.McClure,FloridaStateUniversity, Tallahassee R. DavidLankes,SyracuseUniversity, NewYork Robert C.Johns,UniversityofMinnesota,Minneapolis Lance R.Grenzeback,CambridgeSystematics,Inc.,Cambridge, Gary R.Allen,Virginia DepartmentofTransportation, Charlottesville Francis B.Francois,AmericanAssociationofStateHighwayand Olympia Massachusetts Transportation Officials (retired), Transportation InformationManagement Committee foraFuture Strategyfor T portation libraries,aswellaboutthegrowing Concerned aboutthedownsizingandclosingoftrans- Strategic Advice reports thatare availableindigitalformats. locating andretrieving technicalreports, eventhe ing volumeofinformation.Manyoftenhavedifficulty professionals stillreport thattheyfaceanoverwhelm- easy targets forcutbacks. budgetsarewith centralphysicalcollections;library question theneedformaintainingtraditionallibraries however, hascausedsometransportation agenciesto ability oftheInternetandwebsearch engines, ting edgeofnewresearch andtechnologies.Theavail- goals oftheirorganizations, andremain onthecut- Despite thepromise oftheInternet,transportation Chair their work, carry outthemission-critical their work,carry tor transportation professionals toperform and dataenablespublic-private-sec- ofreliablehe rapiddelivery information mechanism tomeetthoseneeds. on asustainableadministrativestructure andfunding states onthecore and needsforinformationservices vide strategicadvicetothefederalgovernmentand and research administration(seebox,thispage). tion policyandresearch, andtransportation agency scienceandmanagement,transporta-science, library committee ofexperts ininformationandcomputer cil oftheNationalAcademies,TRBassembledastudy and provided. Through theNationalResearch Coun- how transportation informationshouldbemanaged portation Research Board (TRB)totakeafresh lookat portation Officials (AASHTO)requested theTrans- State HighwayandTrans-American Associationof Standing CommitteeonResearch ofthe nologies, the geareddemand forinformationservices tonewtech- cal information, in the United States andabroad. The cal information, intheUnited ference proceedings, aswelldatabasesandstatisti- information—from reports andjournal articles tocon- for the21stCentury 284, tion andsharingoftheseresources amongusers. and preservation ofinformationtoincrease thecircula- to improve theidentification,collection,accessibility, shared. The studycommitteetherefore focusedonhow and technicalinformationthatare notalwayswidely mation butalsofrequently assemblereports, research, professional associations. universities; andprivatetransportation companiesand ported byprivatecontractorsand consultants; cials inthousandsofcities,towns,andcounties,sup- planning organizations; countlesspublicworksoffi- than 600transitagencies;nearly400metropolitan and federalagenciesinvolvedintransportation; more and decentralizedcommunitythatcomprisesthestate Users oftransportation informationrepresent adiverse Focusing onBasics AASHTO charged theTRBstudycommitteetopro- The committee’s report, issued as Special Report report, issuedas The committee’s These groups notonlyneedtransportation infor- Transportation KnowledgeNetworks: AStrategy , coversalltypesoftransportation focus is on the basics, however: ensuring that narrative information—such as reports, articles, and conference proceedings—is identified and made available, prefer- ably in electronic form, and that it remains accessible to major user groups. The report addresses the provi- sion of information services in general, not only the accessibility through libraries.

Achieving the Vision Many transportation information services are products of a transportation information management system envisioned in the early 1970s. These include the Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS) bibliographic database, the Research in Progress database, and a Transportation Thesaurus to improve and tion they require at their desktops. Members of the standardize the indexing and retrieval of transporta- Making the business case for the gains in time and Committee for a tion information. efficiency—the value added—through well-organized, Future Strategy In addition, the Online Computer Library Center readily accessible, and reliable information resources for Transportation Information catalogues the collections of many U.S. transportation can be difficult. Like research, good information is Management presented libraries and locates documents for participating users. often taken for granted, and the benefits are not always their findings and The recently launched TLCat is a special online cata- evident. The services offered by librarians—reference recommendations and logue of the collections of transportation libraries. and research, document retrieval from international released Special Report These services, however, have evolved piecemeal, sources, literature reviews, collection development, 284 at a 2006 TRB Annual are unevenly funded, and depend on informal institu- full-text article retrieval, and other subscription ser- Meeting session, tional arrangements. The primary elements of the orig- vices—are frequently not recognized, especially at the Wednesday, January 25: (left to right) Lance inal vision for a transportation information level of state DOT leadership, where turnover among Grenzeback, Francis management system have yet to be realized—notably chief executive officers is high. Francois (chair), Leni the establishment of a sustainable coordinating mech- Libraries and information professionals in other Oman, Bonnie Osif, anism and stable financial support. fields, such as health and agriculture, have addressed Roberto Sarmiento, and In 1998, Congress authorized the U.S. Department this problem by transforming their libraries. As infor- Robert Johns. of Transportation (DOT) to establish and maintain a mation has become increasingly electronic, libraries National Transportation Library (NTL). The NTL have evolved from centralized and managed physical provides a small digital collection of documents and collections into decentralized networks of informa- websites, makes a major portion of TRIS available on tion, providing information services to users wher- the web, and offers reference services and free public ever they reside. access to TLCat; it also initiated a pilot consortium of According to the committee, networks could form libraries in the Midwest. the backbone of a better system for managing trans- The NTL was positioned to become the national- portation information. The consortium of Midwestern level coordinating entity that U.S. transportation pro- transportation libraries provides a good model. fessionals had envisioned. But without stable funding and support from U.S. DOT, the NTL has been able Knowledge Networks to operate to date only within a narrow definition of To address the information service needs of the trans- its mission. portation sector in the digital age, the committee developed a series of consensus findings and recom- Making the Case for Change mendations for the organization and development of TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 In today’s digital age, why are transportation libraries a transportation information management system. and information services not valued more? Many state The committee recommends the establishment of DOT libraries, for example, are staffed by only one full- transportation knowledge networks (TKNs) in every time equivalent professional, and two-thirds of state region of the United States and at the federal level to DOT libraries have annual budgets of less than $15,000. link information providers to users (see figure, next Part of the reason is that desktop access to online page). Management and coordination of the activities information is ubiquitous. Cost-conscious managers of the TKNs should be at the national level, located ask why the personnel costs and space requirements of within U.S. DOT’s Research and Innovative Technol- running a library and providing information services ogy Administration (RITA). are necessary when users can summon the informa- RITA should establish the governance for the coor- 11 12 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 publications/sr/sr284.pdf. www.TRB.org/ to viewthebookonline, www.TRB.org/bookstore; online bookstore, available fromtheTRB management. information system fortransportation Proposed nationwide for the21stCentur Management Strategy Knowledge Networks:A Transportation TRB SpecialReport284, • BTS/modal • USDOTlibraries • NTL(lead) Federal TKN • Otherfederalagencies administrations y, is y, a representative, independentnonprofit association. conducted, andtheTKNsshouldconsiderorganizing coordinating structure andtheTKNsalsoshouldbe Congress. Externalpeerreviews oftheactivities direction andoversightforreporting annuallyto portation Information,withresponsibility forpolicy CouncilonTrans-Statistics tobecometheAdvisory CouncilonTransportationbership oftheAdvisory dinating structure bybroadening thefocusandmem- tions, suchasinformationinfrastructure, toolbuild- individualprojectsunderwrite withnationalapplica- continuing networkdevelopmentandexpansion; fundswouldhelpfinance The coordinating structure’s annual program budgetof$7.5millionto$13million. to support networkoperations,leveragingatotal increased andlocalmatchingfundsshouldberequired TKN andtheregional TKNs. grams, andmakepilotgrantstohelpestablishafederal the coordinating structure, start upthecriticalpro- million to$5million.Thefundswillbeusedsetup the first3yearsthrough annualfederalgrantsof$3 and fundingtheproposed coordinating structure for portation users. needsoftrans- vision tomeettheinformationservice building acoordinating structure withanational lem. Thishashindered thesupport for necessary mation managementsystemhasbeenacriticalprob- the developmentofanationwidetransportation infor- The lackofsustainedfundingandownershipin Sustaining theSystem Networks (TKNs) (RITA, USDOT) Transportation Coordinating Structure for Knowledge After thefirst3years,federalgrantsshouldbe The committeetherefore recommends initiating • Otherlibrariesand • Universitylibraries • StateDOTlibraries • Leadcoregroup Regional TKNs collections Information on Transportation Advisory Council and professional developmentformembers. tronic materials,reference forregional services users, dinated preservation andstorageofprintedelec- thecoor- loanservices, and development,interlibrary network fundswouldsupport collectioncoordination sional capacitybuilding;andconductresearch. The ing, andproducts fornetworkuse;support profes- before thenextreauthorization. mended fundingrequirements andlegislativechanges time toenableCongress toreview boththerecom- ture. Thefollow-onstudyshouldbecompletedin strong governancebodyforthecoordinating struc- bership, focus,andreporting functions,toprovide a Statistics assoonpossibletobroaden itsmem- tion CouncilonTransporta-legislation fortheAdvisory on thenextreauthorization. tee isfocusingitsrecommendations forfederalfunding current surface transportation legislation,thecommit- ognizing thatfundingforRITA isconstrainedunderthe national coordinating structure asrecommended. Rec- DOT toexpeditetheestablishmentandfundingof Highway Research Program onMarch 21,2006. two-year follow-onproject through theNationalCooperative ment system. recommended transportation informationmanage- ing detailsofproposed functionsandfundingforthe Research Program todevelopabusinessplan,includ- funded through theNationalCooperativeHighway The committeerecommends afollow-onproject Follow-On Project 1 into the21stcentury. information needsofthetransportation sectorwell tion informationmanagement systemtomeetthe provide the leadershiptobringaboutatransporta- porting afederalTKNandtheregional TKNs,should advances. Theproposed coordinating structure, sup- fessionals abreast ofrapidlychangingtechnology and bykeepinglibrariansotherinformationpro- training userstosearch forand locateinformation system alsoshouldfosterthesharingofexpertise by are asked todomore withless. environment, inwhichtransportation professionals business intoday’s libraries andinformationservices minimizing duplication,andstretching budgetsfor provides awinningstrategyforleveragingresources, ered information.Thenetworkfocus,inparticular, for userstomore complete,reliable, andrapidlydeliv- mation managementsystemwillbetoimprove access A criticalbenefitoftheproposed transportation infor- A WinningStrategy The AASHTO Standing CommitteeonResearch approvedThe AASHTO a Finally, thecommitteeurges theamendingof A more coordinated informationmanagement 1 In addition,thecommitteecallsonU.S. TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 13 ). She noted that in the 1980s and 2 In the 1990s third-party and fourth-party logistics and fourth-party In the 1990s third-party ocably changed freight transportation globally; stricter transportation ocably changed freight exacerbated con- borders at land security measures Deen Dis- gestion and delays. In the 2005 Thomas B. assistant Lillian Borrone—former tinguished Lecture, Authority of New York of the Port executive director transpor- and New Jersey—focused on the change in for the tation demand and the challenges this creates ( United States 1990s the freight system offered limited extra capac- offered system 1990s the freight our excess but now “we have blown through ity, and run into a wall.” capacity buffer She stated that the is at risk. system therefore freight Changing Patterns The global pattern of international trade has altered dramatically in the past 15 years. China, for example, of trading partner the ninth largest from has grown the United The U.S. second largest. States to the dependent on interna- economy has become more tional trade, but the nation has not invested in suffi- infrastructure and land border airport, cient seaport, in commerce. the growth to support neither the that are firms emerged—intermediaries the pur- yet control owners nor the carriers cargo and the terms of use. transportation chase of freight of the globalization of production This is a byproduct to manufacturers and indicates a shift in power from ). 1 Freight Capacity for the 21st Century, Freight nternational trade grew from 11 percent of 11 percent from nternational trade grew in 1970 to domestic product the U.S. gross The geo- in 2000. than 26 percent more and the types of com- graphic distribution The dominance of East–West trade with Europe The dominance of East–West the model for several bilateral became NAFTA Security concerns, inland network constraints, attacks of The terrorist September 11, 2001, irrev- modities involved in this trade have changed in modities involved in this trade have changed freight waves, altering the demands on the U.S. system. transportation Japan weakened during the 1960s, as trade with the 1970s, soon joined by trade through increased Asia. The with the newly industrialized economies of (NAFTA) Agreement Trade American Free North trade with Canada additional North–South brought and Mexico in the 1990s. negotiated by the trade agreements free and regional United likely to increase are States. These agreements transpor- trade volumes and to shift the location of tation demand again. of the Since 2000, the source demand has in trade and transportation growth with China. commerce shifted back to Asia, through and institutional factors affect the ability to move to and institutional factors affect Creat- crossings. gateways or border alternative port of entry ing additional physical capacity at the ports is critical, but the magnitude and cost of the projects and the involvement of many jurisdictions slow the time and impede implementa- investment response in and improvements tion. Innovative procedures and mar- have raised capacity at border coordination alone cannot but these measures of entry, itime ports eliminate congestion. Capacity Problems trade growth Changing trade patterns and strong congestion at U.S. have caused episodes of severe of entry with systemwide since the mid-1990s, ports at traffic The concentration of freight repercussions. cross- and border airports, a small number of ports, congestion and delays, which can ings produces to TRB According deter economic growth. Special 271, Report among the most are in 2002, “the borders released system” ( bottlenecks in the freight prominent Global Trade Flows and Flows Trade Global Challenges Transportation HARRISON BROOKS, AND ROBERT R. BINGHAM, MARY PAUL I POINT OFPOINT VIEW Systems Research Directions for Freight Bingham is principal, Global Insight, Inc., Washington, A. is William D.C. Brooks Black Chair of Commerce, Dalhousie University, is Halifax, Canada. Harrison Scientist, Senior Research Center for Transportation University of Research, on at Austin. All serve Texas the TRB International Trade and Transportation as chair, Committee—Brooks and Bingham as secretary, as a member. Harrison 14 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 transportation system. the U.S.freight of theproblemsfacing which raisedawareness Distinguished Lecture, the 2005ThomasB.Deen Lillian Borronedelivering truck trailers. more capacious,high-cubedomesticcontainersand involves transloadinghigh-volumecommoditiesinto ment ofstandard oceanshippingcontainersnow or tothestores directly. Theintermodalinlandmove- gateways thatconnecttoregional distributioncenters import distributioncentershavegivenwaytoregional sales. Direct single-port gatewaystosinglenational tory, theexchangeraterisk,andpricestooptimize incorporating techniquestoreduce thecostofinven- logistics practicesare increasing insophistication, requiresThe industry free-flowing borders. with CanadaandwhichhasflourishedunderNAFTA. mobile industry, whichbeganwiththe1961AutoPact nents reveals thecontinentalintegrationofauto- finishing orpackagingintoapparel ready forsale. States for for sewingandthenreimported totheUnited which maybeimported orexported toathird country ric. Thefabricthenisexported tobecutintopieces, States tobewovenintofab- imported backtotheUnited chemicals are exported tobemadeintofiber, whichis a finishedproduct. Forexample,U.S.-manufactured ments are associatedwiththefinalimport orexport of of production. Oftenseveralimport andexport ship- trade ofcomponentsandgoodsatintermediatestages Changing manufacturingpracticeshaveincreased the on reliable andefficient internationaltransportation. retailers focusedoncostreduction. international trade network.Large urbanareas grew environment requires solidresearch. Transportation planningfor ahighlyunpredictable volume border crossings, suchasDetroit–Windsor. delay are complaintfrom theprimary carriersathigh- immigration processes. Roadnetworkcongestionand as ofthecomplexitiescustoms,security, and the result of physicalinfrastructure limitations,aswell dering efforts tolowertransportation costs.Delaysare U.S. landborder crossings remain unpredictable, hin- risen andlow-costproduction hasmovedtoChina. Laredo has easedasMexicanshipmentvalueshave has slowedsincethen.CongestionatLaredo–Nuevo and Texas increased 220percent, butthegrowth rate Development, truckborder crossings betweenMexico Texas CenterforBorder andEconomicEnterprise border. From 1990to2000,according todatafrom the growth intruckvolumes,particularly atthe southern tem. Higher-value goodshaveaffected therateof Border crossings can bechokepointsinthefreight sys- Border Backups International transportation, warehousing, and The cross-border flowofautomobilesandcompo- Growth inglobalsupplychaincomplexitydepends Seaport connectivityposesmanychallengesforthe Congestion anddelaysfortruckrailtraffic at Kennedy, andMiamiInternational. urban areas: LosAngelesInternational,JohnF. air cargo airports are majorpassengerairports inlarge volume ofaircargo. Themostsignificantinternational away from large urbanairports. and UPSatLouisvilleare examplesofaircargo hubs areas toinlandairports. FederalExpress atMemphis shifted traffic awayfrom passengerairports inurban Several internationalaircargo carriershave flights. domestic airtraffic systemisstrainingunderincreased international aircargo have notbeenfrequent, the gers. Althoughsignificantcongestionanddelaysfor airport capacitywithdomesticaircargo andpassen- tainerized element—isthemostvulnerable. international tradeportion—particularly thecon- at theborders. Within thetransportation system,the modes oftransportation facesignificantsecuritycosts ing andattentionfrom thefederalgovernment,all Although aviationsecurityhasreceived themostfund- potential targets forcriminalandterrorist activity. urban transportation network. with otherpotentiallandusesandforcapacityonthe that demandsforlandsideaccesstotheports compete up around mostseaports inthelasttwocenturies,so international logistics efficiency in this decade,unless that capacityconstraintsmay degrade thenation’s face significantfundingchallenges. Thesetrends imply and privatecompaniesresponsible forthese facilities depends onnonfederalsources. Thepublicagencies decline inreal dollars. ing forroads, isprojected airports, andwaterways to less than0.5percent peryear, andfederalcapital fund- tem. Theintercity networkofhighways isgrowing at rate thancapacityexpansioninmanyparts ofthesys- Moreover, domestictraffic isincreasing atagreater handle rapidgrowth ininternationaltradeislimited. problem, but developmentrequires more research. shipping isanintermodaloptionthatcanbypassthis Short sea choked, anddriverrecruitment isdifficult. growth isexpectedfortrucking,butthehighwaysare are encounteringproblems. Forexample,continued modes willpickuptheexcessdemand,butall solutions tomanycapacitychallengesassumethatother itime, rail,andaviationdevelopmentprograms.” The year-old alliancesbuiltaround separatehighway, mar- politics ofresource allocation,whichisdictatedby50- problem isthatU.Spolicy“toopreoccupied withthe In theDeenlecture, Borrone concludedthatpart ofthe Long-Term Planning Nevertheless, passengeraircraft conveyasizable International aircargo shares airspaceandsome Security isanissueforhigh-profile ports thatare Capital fundingforports andfreight railroads The abilityofthefreight transportation systemto TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 15 TRB activities and initiatives to support programs to support TRB activities and initiatives Within the United to enhance and Within States, efforts Examine the role of international trade and trans- Examine the role Support efforts to improve planning data. to improve Support efforts Develop Annual Meeting spotlight sessions. oriented to international freight could include the fol- could include freight oriented to international lowing: 1. user needs on the demand side in a coherent manner. in a coherent on the demand side user needs sectors of the econ- integration of many The continental and dis- on just-in-time production omy and reliance of understanding an improved require tribution systems movements and their of freight the international aspects distribution network. impacts on the freight portation in the U.S. economy. needs to be known about the macroeconomic More between the U.S. economy and that of its relationship Canada, particular, international trading partners—in (EU), and China. Fore- Union Mexico, the European between the United casts of trade growth States and its and accompanying data— primary trading partners, corridors incomplete—on transportation currently inputs into supply- and modes would form important side planning. For example, key trade transportation a special designation and a corridors could receive federal spending, either likelihood of increased Without public–private partnering. or through directly the continent’s terminals and corridors this capability, experience congestion. likely to continue to are 2. Information on international trade—particularly from Information on international trade—particularly inadequate and does not provide federal sources—is plannerstransportation with the modal data for evaluating the Bureau TRB can support programs. investment Statistics (BTS) in the U.S. Depart- of Transportation and Innovative Tech- Research ment of Transportation’s trade to improve nology Administration in efforts of international trade. in the area databases, particularly extend the Commodity Flow critical, Survey are because the central to many private, state, data are Pro- and federal analyses. U.S. Customs and Border tection (CBP) should be encouraged to allow the Cen- a that include to access new programs sus Bureau not collected on data previously wealth of transport international trade. Although the manifest data filed the arrival of a consignment at CBP vary from before data help in assign- mode to mode, the transportation ing a can aggregate Bureau level of risk. The Census for BTS to disseminate the information appropriately TRB should planning. infrastructure for transportation joint sponsorship of workshops assist BTS through and seminars identifying the data needs for planning. 3. TRB Annual Meeting spotlight sessions focus attention to explore a venue and offer of interest on key areas Another way to increase highway system capacity Another way to increase systems and advances in Intelligent transportation Traffic on some international trade corridors of the on some Traffic Roles for TRB to strengthen In general, TRB can encourage efforts planning in themultimodal freight United States and to in the transportation of freight the role recognize International trade deserves specific national economy. so that federal and state planning agencies programs, infrastructurecan address needs on the supply side and is to allow larger vehicles, an approach resisted by resisted vehicles, an approach is to allow larger Capacity at interests. railroad and motorist, safety, often is limited by dense adjacent and rail yards ports in freight to increases development, local resistance and the lack of politically acceptable funding traffic, mechanisms. help, but may terminal technology and train control port implementa- the benefits and feasibility of widespread on the Each mode can no longer rely uncertain. tion are others to pick up the excess, and the private sector is the needs out- but without addressing seeking efficiency side the operating scope of their businesses. As Borrone noted, the private sector does not invest in the transportation system’sbackup redundancy. capacity and buffer Policy Options the capacity for trade can Policy options for increasing include Constraints be complex and controversial. and restrictions, environmental available revenues, additions to major Moreover, lack of public support. completion for 10 years or more capacity often require are and air carriers already Railroads after approval. prac- setting prices to manage demand, a controversial sector tice that is gaining acceptance in the passenger in the United tolls. States—most obviously through infrastructure Demand pricing may be an important tool within two decades. rail system has reached the limits of capacity several the limits of capacity rail system has reached concerned are years. Officials times in the past 10 receiv- that are and rail bottlenecks at ports about road operators megaships. Barge ing the new generation maintain and upgrade the aging need investments to in areas particularly inland waterway infrastructure, Aviation congestion. In addition, Federal with severe in the dramatic growth of Administration forecasts years in the next 20 air cargo volume of international and conflict between passengers suggest increased barring investments in new air cargo at airports, freight perspec- facilities. A long-term planning and research tive is needed and should begin now. new solutions can be implemented. Recent shifts of can be implemented. new solutions via Coast ports Coast to East West from Asian cargoes and Panama Canal underscore Suez Canal routings capacity. of inadequate transport the problems 16 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 TRB AnnualMeeting. chain issuesatthe2005 sessions onglobalsupply one ofaseriesfour Policy wasthesubjectof Linking FreighttoPublic P presented. the issuesandopinions in alettertotheeditoron encouraged tocomment TR News sarily thoseofTRBor expressed are notneces- tion issues.Theviews authors ontransporta- opinions ofcontributing ITOF OINT V . Readersare IEW presents tions inprint and ontheweb—circulars, peer- security agencyrulemaking. transportation processes andcoststoinformguide tive andcanpromote aclearunderstanding offreight ers onproducing securitysystemsthat are cost-effec- dialogue withtransportation systemusersandsuppli- ment. TRBconferences andworkshopscanfacilitate shipments toprovide manage- securityandinventory such asradiofrequency identification,whichtracks providers—the nationandtousersservice that thenewsystemsandprocesses offer benefitsto encouraged toengagetheprivatesectorhelpensure and implementingnewsecurityprograms shouldbe affecting theeconomyadversely. Agenciesdeveloping the costoftransporting commoditiessubstantiallyand carefully planned andimplementedtoavoidraising Initiatives tomakethenationmore secure mustbe portation securitysystems. 6. shops andsymposiawillbevaluablevenues. be learnedfrom keyU.S.tradingpartners, and work- transportation systemimprovement. Manylessonscan ation andfinancingpartnerships willbecentral to longer doitall—greater public–privatesectorcooper- andtheuseofshuttletrains.Governmentcanno ters, bigboxdistributioncen- accessto side access,the Alameda Corridor—toimproving marineport land- Southern California’s tion Efficiency Program and the ChicagoRegionEnvironmental andTransporta- partnering. Thesecanrangefrom megaprojects—like are costlyandrequire someformofpublic–private ture improvements, particularly atthecorridorlevel, eration andsupport oftheprivatesector. Infrastruc- planning process cancomeaboutonlywiththecoop- Improvements tothestateandfederaltransportation 5. transportation. planningforfreight standing thebenefitsofeffective tunities tocommunicatetheimportance ofunder- the efficiency oflandcorridorswouldprovide oppor- minal design,shipdesignandoperationalfactors, Discussion oftopicssuchassupplychainissues,ter- TRB activitiestoparalleleventsthroughout theyear. tion issuescanbecultivatedatothermeetings,linking Interest ininternationaltradeandfreight transporta- 4. are likelycandidates. Asian trade programs andpolicies,emerging technologies,and of participants. Topics examiningtradecorridors,EU TRB committeestoworktogether, expandingthebase issues. Crosscutting sessionspresent opportunities for Develop modelsforpublic–privatepartnerships. Organize andcosponsorworkshopssymposia. Advise onthedevelopmentofcost-effective trans- Each oftheseactivitiescangenerate TRBpublica- publishing results. identifying research topics,awarding contracts,and Act: ALegacyforUsers,willbeginitsworkthisyear, Accountable, Flexible,Efficient Transportation Equity erative ResearchSafe, Program, fundedunderthe Proceedings. Inaddition,theNationalFreight Coop- Special Reports andmanyoftheTRBConference TRB under theauspicesofTRB;theseprojects produce appointed through theNationalResearch Council workshops andforstudiesbyexpert committees gain thesponsorshipandfundingforconferences and the needforimmediateandlong-termsolutionscan e-sessions, andotherreports. Creating awareness of reviewed papers,magazinearticles andthemeissues, become visibleinfailure. The invisiblesystemthatsupports theeconomywill obvious orimportant tothetaxpayer, itistoolate. social leaders.”Bythetimefreight congestionbecomes between transportation experts andourpolitical cussion ofcost-effective border management. mation development,andproviding aforumfordis- through appropriate dataexchange,continuinginfor- growing incidenceofcongestionatkeyborders economic well-beingofU.S.citizensandaddress the of freight—particularly internationalfreight—to the levels. TRBalsocanraiseawareness oftheimportance logue betweentradeandtransport interests atall ily meandiminishedtrade.TRBcanencouragedia- global economy. Increased securitydoesnotnecessar- dling networkthatsecures U.S.competitivenessina pleted tosupport thedevelopmentofafreight-han- TRB canensure research thatthenecessary iscom- Raising Awareness 2. Borrone, L. C. Sparking theGlobalizedTrade Borrone, L.C. andTranspor- 2. 1. References site, www.trb-trade.com. Trade andTransportation Committee,visittheweb- information abouttheworkofTRBInternational related sessionsontheglobalsupplychain.Formore presentations atthe2005TRBAnnualMeetinginfour informationinthisarticle derivesfrom Much ofthe Acknowledgments ington, D.C.,2005,pp.5–16. portation Research Board oftheNationalAcademies, Wash- Journal oftheTransportation Research Board, No.1906 Global Trade Demands. In System Responses to Supplying Freight tation Connection: sr271.pdf. Washington, D.C.,2002.www.TRB.org/publications/sr/ Transportation Research Board oftheNationalAcademies, Special Report271:Freight Capacityforthe21stCentury Borrone suggestedthat “weneedanewunity Transportation Research Record: , Trans- . TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 17 The term “research” as used by MacDonald is dif- The term “research” illustrates…the leadership attained through a deter- illustrates…the leadership attained through and investigation mination of the facts by research conditions and their application to our modern and mystifying and inac- by limitations unhampered curate traditions.” the But reading today. the word in meaning from ferent history of the development of the Interstate Highway and investi- System makes clear that analysis, research, the investiga- gation served as its foundation. Without materials, right-of-way tions into design standards, and the behavior, bridge loadings, traffic requirements, many other critical components of basic highway design we probably of the Interstate program, the start before still would be in the midst of Interstate construction. Daunting Challenges 50 years, and the Interstate Highway Fast forward Sys- tem is facing enormous challenges. Although I don’t want to fall victim to my own chauvinism of the present, I would suggest that today’s daunt- more challenges are ing than those faced many years ago, because the world complex. The growth of “getting things done” is more in population and the location of that population in the has placed significant areas country and in metropolitan systems originally on major urban freeway pressures designed to serve our nation’s downtowns. The highway funding scheme that was brilliantly laid out for the with seri- Interstate system is beginning to be stretched, he Transportation Research Board Annual Board Research he Transportation place to com- Meeting is the appropriate memorate the 50th anniversarythe of Interstate Highway System. Not only has In a 1920 address to the Road Builders Association, In a 1920 address Yet many in our generations—I use the plural many in our generations—I Yet intentionally—may not understand this level of intentionally—may not understand this is present” accomplishment. The “chauvinism of the my experience in teaching a term I have coined from thousands of students and interacting with many peo- Many hold the view that ple in the course of my career. and were as we are not as smart our ancestors were limited in what they could achieve because they did not have the technology that we have. This thinking may have goes on to believe that our predecessors accomplished much, but these accomplishments pale is in comparison with what we can achieve. Nowhere than in error more this chauvinism of the present when it is applied to a view of the Interstate Highway System and its development. of Public Thomas MacDonald, Head of the Bureau have found by scientific study of Roads, stated: “We origin, and destination of highway travel the character, which uses our average of the traffic that 90 percent the In 1922, addressing highway is of local character.” focus of highway engineering, which was professional said, “this development MacDonald then burgeoning, Impressive Record Impressive of the Interstate system is The historical record and unpublished histories The published impressive. and give many details of the contributions of research analysis. research contributed greatly to the Interstate system contributed greatly research will continue to enhance the but it we have today, at this It is appropriate Interstate system of tomorrow. Interstate meeting to look back at the origins of the of efforts system and acknowledge the tremendous it. The those who conceptualized and developed on the results more relied Interstate system probably major public and analysis than any other of research in the historyUnited of the works program States, if not of the world. T

SIGNALS The author, Professor Professor The author, and in the School of Civil Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, is Chair of the TRB Executive Committee. He delivered these observations at the TRB 85th Annual Meeting at the American Association of State Highway and Officials’ Transportation exhibit, during the 23 ribbon- January cutting ceremony that inaugurated the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System. MICHAEL D. MEYER the Interstate Highway System the Interstate Research Is the Foundation the Is Research Future of on the Past and Reflections 18 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 Carolina, 1958. Winston-Salem, North under constructionnear A stretchofInterstate40 tem safety. Theprogram emphasizes fourareas— to advancehighwayperformance andtoimprove sys- geted, short-term, results-oriented program ofresearch SAFETEA-LU, isatar- (SHRP II),fundedthrough (SAFETEA-LU). cient Transportation Efficiency Act:ALegacyforUsers Safe, Accountable,Flexible,Effi- System, underthe importance forthefuture oftheInterstateHighway research intomanyoftheissuesthatwillbecritical leadership, theU.S.Congress hasincluded fundingfor provided U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) Secretary NormanY.portation andof Mineta,who study.” Thankstotheefforts ofmanyleadersintrans- lend themselvestowhatMacDonaldtermed“scientific All ofthesequestions—andthousandsothers— Research Portfolio the rightmixofprofessional skillsandabilities. selves butaboutthefuture availabilityofpeoplewith raise questionsnotonlyaboutthetechnologiesthem- application offuture technologiesyetonlydreamt of— in technologyduringthepasttwodecades—and roads inmostmetropolitan areas. Therapidincreases the abilitytoexpandcapacityofurbanInterstate communities andontheenvironment severely limits Increased sensitivitytotheimpactsofhighwayson more important thantheywere fivedecadesago. system insupporting freight movementare much economy,nation’s andthecriticalrole oftheInterstate future improvements tothehighways. ous questionsnowbeingraisedabouthowtofund The new Strategic HighwayResearch ProgramThe new Freight movement,theglobalpositionofour nation inmakingthisfoundationasstrong aspossible. munity iscapableofhelpingtheU.S.DOTand Research isintegraltothisfoundation. TheTRBcom- System mustbesimilarlyfounded. Interstate Highway efforts toenhancetheperformance ofthe nation’s problem-focused, andperformance-measured. Our cessful initiativesare thosethatare data-based, tion, Ihaveconcludedthatthemosteffective andsuc- public policydevelopmentandprogram implementa- researchnation’s community. suggests, manyotherissuesandtopicswillengagethe the changesintransportation duringthepast50years an existingroad network.Nonetheless,asareview of in ashort time,andfocusesoninnovationappliedto vides acriticalmassofresources tomakeadifference day. Itencompassesmanyresearch disciplines, pro- difference from ofMacDonald’s thescientificinquiry citizens. life forournation’s economyandonthequalityof impact onthenation’s TRB chosethesefourareas asthelikeliesttohavean ented, peer-reviewed process undertheauspicesof safety, renewal, reliability, andcapacity. Auser-ori- S encouraged intheformofletters totheeditor. research, practice, and policy. Readerresponse is late discussionontopicsrelated totransportation commentary byorganizational leaders,tostimu- an occasionalbasis,thatoffers thought-provoking IGNALS In manyyearsofparticipating inandobserving SHRP IIresearchThe portfolio reflects asignificant

is aguesteditorialcolumn,publishedon

. C P L P C F OLLECTION HOTOGRAPH IBRARY UBLIC OUNTY ORSYTH TRB 2006 ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS Focusing on Transportation’s Critical Issues Sharing Achievements, Gearing Up for Solutions

1 Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta (center) cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the national celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System, January 23. Participants include (front row, left to right:) William W. Millar, American Public Transportation Association; Gary Ridley, Oklahoma Department of Transportation (DOT); Gloria J. Jeff, Los Angeles DOT; Robert E. Skinner, Jr., TRB; Secretary Mineta; John C. Horsley, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO); and T. Peter Ruane, American Road 1 and Transportation Builders Association. ore than 10,200 transportation researchers, than 2,600 presentations in more than 500 ses- After signing the 2 M practitioners, and administrators repre- sions; 70 specialty workshops; 250 meetings of memorandum of senting government, industry, and academia committees, subcommittees, and task forces; and understanding to launch from the United States and abroad gathered in many additional events, such as the inauguration SHRP II on January 25, J. Washington, D.C., January 22–26, 2006, to par- of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Richard Capka, Federal Highway Administration; ticipate in the 85th Annual Meeting of the Trans- Interstate Highway System and the signing of a John C. Horsley, AASHTO; portation Research Board. The 5-day program memorandum of agreement between the Fed- and Ralph J. Cicerone, offered attendees a variety of opportunities for eral Highway Administration, the American Asso- National Academy of information sharing and interaction with more ciation of State Highway and Transportation Sciences, share Officials, and the National Academies to establish TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 congratulations. the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP II). The meeting incorporated four spotlight themes—Transportation 2025: Getting There from Here; The Interstate Highway System’s 50th Anniver- sary: What Have We Learned?; SAFETEA-LU: What Annual Meeting It Means for Research and the Transportation Com- photographs by munity; and Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Cable Risdon Recovery. Details and highlights appear on the fol- Photography 2 lowing pages. 19 TRB 20 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 to everyattendee. Transportation studies Matt Melzer. attendees JessicaSickand Hertwig, CSXInter SPOTLIGHT: 2025 COUNCIL ACTIVITIES TECHNICAL WELCOME! EXPERT ADVICE TWO GUIDEBOOKS Welco and Young Attendees Skinner, Jr., briefstheNew questions fro Barkan ( Millenniu Awakening: OilintheNew Transportation Workforce. a sessionontheFuture Institutional Knowledgein on thePreservationof develop coordinate the Activities Division Progra co Associations, consultsthe m standing-roo audiences. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 eeting progra m prehensive Final Director RobertE. TRB Executive Christopher P. L. Rail GroupChair A Zvezda Van Pelt, sessions—like Crude Several spotlight Virginia DOT, speaks Maureen Ha within theTechnical Chairs ofninegroups m Executive Co m m m Critical Issuesin e m e Session. right . m erican Trucking m ent ofannual ber Ja —drew m m ) answers , distributed -only first-ti m m content. mm mm m es R. odal, 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS m er, ittee e 6 1 5 3 A Nor University ofMinnesota;MarkR. International; RobertC.Johns, Safety &PolicyAnalysis Ad Pedersen, MarylandStateHighway C&A Dietz,LLC;ChairNeilJ. Casgar, U.S.DOT; ArleneL.Dietz, International Airport;ChristinaS. Crites, Dallas–FortWorth S Iacofano Golst m 5 m m ithson, IowaDOT; Ja erican GeosyntheticsSociety. m inistration; BarryM.Sweedler, an, TRB;L.DavidSuits,North Patricia V. McLaughlin,Moore ( TAC Council,lefttoright: m an, Inc.;LelandD. m es M. ) 7 4 2 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 21 , ent . m ore. othy R. m m ajor m ats invite m m stra, inistrator m m oderated the m erican Road and ) inistrators shared m : Is There Life After m Roads and Bridges m an, CH2M Hill; and John C. Horsley, Peter AASHTO, and T. U.S. DOT ad audience questions Ad FAA Marion Blakey N. Shane, U.S. Jeffrey DOT, Session for consultant; Ti Glen Hie Sherry S. Borener, Joint FAA-NASA ine Advancing Future , funding, and m m m 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 continued SPOTLIGHT: 2025 SPOTLIGHT: ( and discussion. Allen Zeyher, New Dennis Judycki, FHWA, exa with Transportation Breakthrough Innovations. pursues a point with panelists for Advancing Future Transportation. Ruane, A Builders Transportation Association, participate in a roundtable discussion on the Federal Highway Progra SAFETEA-LU? Planning and Develop discusses the Office, Next Generation Air Syste Transportation issues and how to address the insights in a dialogue session, Transportation 2025 and the U.S. DOT. considers a dialogue response. dialogue, which covered the vision for 2025 and how to achieve it, the 7 4 5 2 6 3 1 ent m an, National High- McCown, Pipeline m ) Cliff Eby, Federal Eby, ) Cliff m U.S. DOT representatives, left to right: ( 5 Railroad; David Horner, Federal Railroad; David Horner, Brigha Transit; and Hazardous Materials Safety; Research and Ashok Kaveeshwar, Marion Innovative Technology; N. Jeffrey Federal Aviation; Blakey, Craig Middlebrook, Shane, U.S. DOT; St. Lawrence Seaway Develop Corporation; Annette Sandberg, Federal Motor Carrier Safety; Jacqueline Glass way Traffic Safety; John Jacob, U.S. way Traffic and J. Richard Capka, FHWA. DOT; TRB 22 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 SAFETEA-LU SPOTLIGHT: INTERSTATE 50th SPOTLIGHT: Develop Weather Researchand Morti Syste 50-Year-Old Interstate Pave Western statesindescribing Washington, focusesonthe Interstate. consultant, onMappingthe speaker AlanE.Pisarski, author postersession infor Research Progra Transportation Cooperative Hazardous Materials SAFETEA-LU provisionsfora (D-Md.) explainsthe Data UsersForu Esti Freight AnalysisFra presents HighlightsofNew Transportation Statistics, assets. charging users,andvaluing dealing withfueltaxes, infrastructure invest transportation discussion on participate inaroundtable Penner, UrbanInstitute, Co assess looking atcondition Future Develop Structures: Successesand 50 Years ofInterstate 7 6 4 3 2 1 5 mm m m m m ates attheFreight m m U.S. DOT; EdwardL. Phyllis F. Scheinberg, University of Joe P. Mahoney, DOT, gains Sande Snead,Virginia FHWA, contributesto Steven B.Chase, SAFETEA-LU Road Speakers groupfor Elijah E.Cu U.S. Representative Bureau of Deborah D.Johnson, erce; andRudolph ent Lessonsfro ation fro . er, U.S.Cha ents. m ent Progra m m m m mm ents,

. . m m m eet-the- m ber of ings m ework m 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS ent, . the 7 Ti de sequential logitdyna Models. DISASTERS RESPONSE SPOTLIGHT: 8 m m e, andHurricaneEvacuation and State University, tracesa John HaoqiangFu,Louisiana m odel inMode,Departure 1 m ic travel 6 4 Kane, AASHTO. Ad National OceanicandAt FHWA; StevenR.Barnu Oklaho Iowa; JohnT. Snow, Universityof Wilfrid A,Nixon,Universityof 6 m 2 inistration; andAnthonyR. speakers, lefttoright: ( Road Weather Research m a; Jeffrey F. Paniati, m m , ospheric ) 8 5 3 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 23 in the ittee for m m mm eland an Factors os National m m m as Dingus, m in Vehicle m Nan Shellabarger, answers FAA, At poster session on Transportation Donna Bialozor, National Cancer Randell H. Iwasaki, California DOT, New Paradig Rail Pricing: Planning co for the 39th annual Tho Tech Virginia as F. Ewing, Argonne as F. ), Los Ala an Factors in m m prove Our Partnerships? odeling of ho 1 4 5 6 7 2 3 right m National Laboratory. workshop, Research Collaboration: How Can We I Kriste Henson Security, ( discusses the Laboratory, m security applications with and Joe Hill, Illinois DOT, Tho Infrastructure Integration: What Does It Mean to Agencies? Transportation Institute, describes a technology transfer partnerships progra in Transportation Workshops in Transportation luncheon address. reviews the Caltrans progra SESSIONS AND SESSIONS WORKSHOPS FAA audience questions on Forecasting Methodology. of Negotiating in an Era is the subject Capacity Tight for John Kevin Neels, Gray, Brattle Group; John T. John Union Pacific Railroad; Industrial National Ficker, League; and Transportation Linda J. Morgan, Covington & Burling. Hu Workshops. Transportation Institute, Transportation presents the Hu 7 4 6 2 5 3 8 ) ) Chair inistration; Alex inistration; Rick m m 1 e Technologies; Gihon e Technologies; m standing, left to right: ance State Coordinators’ m e Labor, Training, and Safety; Neil Training, e Labor, m ent Perfor m , Transportation Research Corporation; Research , Transportation m Human Factors in Transportation Workshops Human Factors in Transportation Victor Mendez, Arizona DOT, and Gary Mendez, Arizona DOT, Victor field questions at the Long- Henderson, FHWA, Planning Committee, front row, left to right: Planning Committee, front row, ( as Raslear, Federal Railroad Ad as Raslear, ut Zwahlen, Ohio University; Michael Perel, Pave m m m 8 3 Ter Meeting. Landsburg, Mariti Tech Suzanne E. Lee, Virginia Westat; Lerner, Institute; ( Transportation Realti Michael Mollenhauer, Group. Veridian Pain, TRB; and Jerry Wachtel, National Highway Traffic Safety Ad National Highway Traffic Hel Jordan, consultant; Christopher Monk, FHWA; Fred Jordan, consultant; Christopher Monk, FHWA; Hansco Tho TRB 24 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 Asphalt E presides atsessionon Preservation Syste Technology. perfor aggregate gradationon findings ontheinfluenceof North Dakota,reviews ( WORKSHOPS SESSIONS AND Nie Brinckerhoff; Debbie Janette Sadik-Khan,Parsons Needs inSuburbanDesign. Streets: BalancingUser at workshoponCo University. Walubita, Texas A&M pave concrete inhighway I Energy, addresses m new Dutchnationalfreight Netherlands, describesthe Transportation Leadership. Workforce and the Transportation Project, discussWo Transportation Policy P. Canby, Surface California, Davis;andAnne Transportation Infor Manage Future Strategyfor Minnesota, contributesto Review andPeerExchanges. Research ThroughPeer Freight Modeling. Innovations inEuropean m continued 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 odel inE proving theConductof m m eier, Universityof Del Pave ( Sukvarsh Jerath Garliauskas, FHWA; Panelists Lucy Oregon DOT, speaks Michael Ronkin, TNO Inro, Lorant AntalTavasszy, University of Robert C.Johns, Depart Jeff Dowd,U.S. m right ents withLubinda ance offlyash m m m ent of m m ) ar R.Salo ulsion ), Universityof ent erging m ent of m m m s, m m en in plete 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS ation. on, 5 1 6 8 3 and DistributionCo Ji Mary; Willia Flood, CollegeofWillia State PortsAuthority;Richard Fred Stribling,SouthCarolina Catastrophic Events( Needs inTi Meeting Co 8 m Hudgens,SurfaceDeploy in PortReserveCapacity: Panelists considerstrategies m mm m e ofWar and Aird,U.S.DOT; and ercial andMilitary mm left toright: and. m and m ent 7 4 2 ) TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 25 ance Data m ) pacts. ih F. Kalay, ih F. an, NASA; and m m m s. Catching up at the Caucus are Aviation Se Transportation Donald R. Jackson, speaks on FHWA, Meet-the-author poster sessions Speakers group for Lanes and Road Truck Anthony R. Kane, AASHTO, presides at Edward W. West, Edward W. Jones & Stokes er al I m es M. Crites, Dallas–Fort m proving Highway Safety m mm 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 continued m SESSIONS AND SESSIONS WORKSHOPS ( Peter Muller, PRT Peter Muller, Consulting; Bob Zi for Design and Maintenance Planning. Ja International Worth Airport. Technology Center, Inc., Center, Technology and presents Railway Track Perfor Vehicle Value Engineering Best Value Practices. engage active audiences. Pricing, a two-part session. I Through Crash Data Syste Associates, presents a slide Associates, presents a show on bioacoustic and profiles in Land Noise Ani 7 3 5 2 4 6 1 ith m an, m Truck Lanes and Road Truck ( Pricing speakers, left to ) Paula Dowell, Wilbur S erican Transportation Research erican Transportation m 3 right: Associates; Max Donath, University of Minnesota; Michael Tunnell, A Sweat Institute; Peter F. University of Michigan Institute; Research Transportation Rob Di Cristoforo, ARRB Group, Ltd., Australia; and Steven E. University of California, Shladover, Institute of Berkeley, Studies. Transportation TRB 26 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 EXHIBITS CONNECTIONS MAKING MEETINGS COMMITTEE the Planning Associates,chairs m Transportation Co the Wo contributes todiscussionat Depart latest datavan. exhibit. Diesel Technology Foru provide infor Council. Transportation Research Sprinkel, Virginia M. outgoing chairMichael Executive Boardhonors Protection Co m Board, conductsthe Transportation Safety Co Developing Countries Transportation in postings. Instru Casola, Malvern New MexicoDOT, andJohn sessions areRonGrover, 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 eeting. eeting oftheOccupant mm m m Pacific Policyand V. SettyPendakur, United Kingdo Miranda Carter, exhibit displaysthe The extensiveFHWA Kristen Gifford Tere Druenand infor A participantchecks Materials Section The Concrete National Elaine B.Weinstein, m Following upon eeting ofthe ittee. m m ents, Inc. aterials between ent forTransport, en’s Issuesin m ational m mm ation atthe ittee. mm m 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS ittee m 1 7 5 2 4 D. Hejl,TRB. Michael M.Sprinkel;andFrederick Technological University;Chair Tho A. Streeter, NewYork StateDOT; and ProductsAssociation;Donald M. Ar University ofCincinnati;Ja right: 4 m Executive Board,leftto ( ) RichardAlanMiller, m as JohnVan Da Concrete MaterialsSection aghani, FloridaConcrete m , Michigan m shid 8 6 3 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 27 of ) m ented on m ittee, ittee. bers of the orandu mm m m mm mm e e ) addresses SHRP ) and John C. m m ies. J. Richard left at head of table al briefings on SHRP ittee. right m before the TRB Neil Hawks and Deputy Director Ann Ralph J. Cicerone ( SHRP II Interi Director Neil Hawks, understanding is understanding Ann Brach, speaking The m mm ission of the National 4 5 1 2 3 conduct one of several infor II, its plans and scope, and the next steps. Executive Co displays the new SHRP II brochure. Brach ( II in the context of the m Acade Capka ( Horsley also co the significance of the SHRP II venture. TRB, presents a report to the TRB Executive Co signed by the leaders of the signed by the three organizations SHRP involved to establish II, with a group of witnesses including oversight co SHRP II LAUNCHED SHRP II 5 2 4 1 y of m of m ) J. inistered by the m inistration; Stephen ) Brian McLaughlin, 3 Starts Up m m erican Association of State m , results-oriented progra inistration; Rebecca Brewster, m (SHRP II) to be ad m ance and safety for U.S. highway of understanding signed January 25 m m m Standing, left to right: ies in cooperation with the Federal Highway orandu SHRP II signing, at table, left to right: SHRP II signing, at table, m ( Richard Capka, FHWA; John C. Horsley, Richard Capka, FHWA; m inistration and the A e erican Transportation Research Institute; John erican Transportation For more information, visit the SHRP II website, m m m 1 officially established the new Strategic Highway officially Research Progra New Research Progra New Research A Ad Transportation Research Board of the National Transportation Acade SHRP II is a Officials. Highway and Transportation targeted, short-ter strategic highway research designed to advance highway perfor users. SHRP II will focus on applied research in four and capacity. renewal, reliability, areas: safety, http://trb.org/shrpii/. Sciences. ( AASHTO; and Ralph J. Cicerone, National Acade AASHTO; and Ralph J. Cicerone, National Godwin, TRB; TRB Executive Director Robert E. Godwin, TRB; TRB Executive Director Robert Anne Canby, Judycki, FHWA; Dennis Jr.; Skinner, Policy Project; Allen Biehler, Surface Transportation University of Garber, Nicholas Pennsylvania DOT; Ann Brach, TRB; C. Michael Walton, Virginia; Austin; Neil Pedersen, Maryland University of Texas, State Highway Ad Federal Motor Carrier Safety Ad A TRB; and Henry G. Neil Hawks, Njord, Utah DOT; St. Louis. University, Schwartz, Washington TRB 28 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 Facilities. Historic Transportation on thePreservationof Deen DistinguishedLecture AWARDS Cru Inc., receivestheRoyW. research andtoTRB. and servicetotransportation for outstandingleadership Distinguished ServiceAward, the W. N.Carey, Jr., California, istherecipientof inspirational bookbyBanks. displays acopyofan Authority, Lansing,Michigan, Area Transportation Sandra L.Draggoo,Capital Leadership inTransportation, Award forInnovative research. design andengineering contributions tobridge Award, foroutstanding 4 3 2 1 m DistinguishedService Modjeski andMasters, John M.Kulicki, University ofSouthern Genevieve Giuliano, delivers theTho Abba Lichtenstein Sharon D.Banks Recipient ofthe m 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS as B. transportation facilities.(Notpictured: Ja operation, safety, and Mickle Award foroutstandingpaperinthefieldof construction oftransportationfacilities. outstanding paperinthefieldofdesignand Econolite ControlProducts.) Sturdevant, IndianaDOT, and DavidG.Candey, Jr., and organization:( of Ta University ofSouthFlorida;ScottC.Paine, (Not pictured:JessicaPerdo 8 7 6 m Clark, PurdueUniveristy, receivetheD.Grant Darcy M.Bullock,Avery Rhodes,andZachary is therecipientofK.B.Woods Award for Roger B.Bligh,Texas Transportation Institute, of theoutstandingpaperinfieldpolicy The CharleyV. Wootan Award honorsauthors pa; andHalBeardall,FloridaStateUniversity. left toright m aintenance of m o, UniversityofTa ) Jeff Kra 1 4 Guensler andJungwookJun,GIT. (Notinpicture:HainanLi,GIT.) Technology (GIT);JenniferHarperOgle,Cle TRB ( Pedersen, Technical ActivitiesCouncilChair( m 5 m 6 er, es R. right field oftransportationsyste Recipients ofthePykeJohnsonAward foroutstandingpaperinthe m pa.) ): SeungjuYoon andMichaelO.Rodgers,GeorgiaInstituteof operations and authors underage35honor Fred BurggrafAwards foroutstanding papersby 10 9 7 Transportation Institute,inthefield of Andrew HolickandPaulJ.Carlson, Texas the fieldofplanningandenviron Sean T. Doherty, WilfridLaurierUniversity, in m 2 s planningandad m aintenance; and m left son University;Randall 9 ) andRobertE.Skinner, Jr., m inistration withNeil m ent. 10 8 5 3 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 29 ittee mm an Njord m y of Sciences, m Executive Co Vice Chair Michael D. Chair Vice Featured speaker Ralph J. Cicerone, Chair passes the gavel to ate change and m 1 2 3 CHAIRMAN’S LUNCHEON Meyer presents a plaque and honoring the service R. leadership of Chair John Njord. President of the National Acade how presents his views on transportation interacts critical with the nation’s issues involving science and including the technology, connection between cli transportation. Michael D. his successor, Meyer. 3 2 er- m issioner, Georgia issioner, of understanding m mm ittees, and projects; ittee mm orandu m e mm ; Professor of Planning, Univer- m m ent will facilitate scanning tours; partici- m are John D. Bowe, Regional President, APL A are John D. Bowe, Regional President, icas; Harold Linnenkohl, Co DOT; Debra L. Miller, Secretary, Kansas DOT; San- Kansas DOT; Secretary, Debra L. Miller, DOT; dra Rosenbloo sity of Arizona; and Henry G. Schwartz, Jr., Senior Jr., sity of Arizona; and Henry G. Schwartz, St. Louis. University, Washington Professor, PASSPORTS FOR RESEARCH PASSPORTS George Giannopoulos, Hellenic Institute of Trans- port, Greece, and TRB Executive Director Robert E. sign a Jr., Skinner, between the European Conference of Transpor- tation Research Institutes (ECTRI) and TRB. The agree pation in conferences, co and other joint activities. ECTRI was established as a nonprofit association headquartered in France representing 20 transportation research institutes in 17 European countries. 1 ent, the ittee m m mm 1983 to 1988, MIT. m m ittee. Fro ore than 140 technical arti- m Northwestern University; and mm m Meyer to Chair Executive Co Meyer to Chair Executive ent for Massachusetts, responsible ental Engineering at the Georgia m m ittee. Co Joining the Executive Linda S. Watson, the Executive Director of the Linda S. Watson, He has written mm ent of Civil Engineering at Massachusetts Insti- ent of Civil Engineering at Massachusetts cles and has authored or coauthored texts on cles and has authored or coauthored A registered transportation planning and policy. he professional engineer in the State of Georgia, fro holds a BS degree in civil engineering in civil University of Wisconsin; an MS degree engineering fro a PhD in civil engineering fro LYNX–Central Florida Regional Transportation LYNX–Central the Executive Chair of is the 2006 Vice Authority, Co tute of Technology (MIT). tute of Technology traffic engineering, and transportation research. traffic Depart- Before that, he was a professor in the m Michael D. Meyer, Professor in the School of Civil Michael D. Meyer, and Environ the 2006 Chair of the is Institute of Technology, TRB Executive Co Planning Meyer was Director of Transportation and Develop for statewide planning, project develop TRB 30 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 political decision attention; Transportation: Raising thePublicProfileof speakers onthetopicof policy sessionfeatured The ExecutiveCo EXECUTIVE BRIEFING TRB MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY INTERSTATE m Baranowski, onpotential anniversary ofthe directors. officers, andexecutive Oversight chairs,current Subco Co gathering ofpastExecutive 85th anniversarywitha displays theprogra Interstate HighwaySyste inaugurate the50th ribbon-cutting cere attitudes totransportation. Interstate HighwaySyste daring” thatcreatedthe “vision,courage,and the Nor TRB’s 35th. the 1956AnnualMeeting, the session. rapporteur’s su Corporation, presentsthe Butler, NorfolkSouthern 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 arketing ca mm m an Y. Minetapraises Ji Florida StateSenator Be Mitch Baranowski, gaining Bob Orr, CBSNews,on celebrated itsown TRB quietly speaking atthe Robert E.Skinner, Jr., Hu Executive Co Harris Poll,onpublic Transportation Secretary of m mm ittee chairs, m e m m m Sebesta,on ittee forNRC porad- phrey Taylor, ber DeborahH. m m mm paigns; and edia mm m mm ary of m aking; m ittee fro ony to 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS ittee m m m , . 6 4 1 Linnenkohl, GeorgiaDOT, calledthesyste ribbon-cutting cere ing, withspeechesbytransportationleadersanda Officials (AASHTO)exhibitattheTRBAnnualMeet- Association ofStateHighwayandTransportation Highway Syste rations ofthe50thanniversaryInterstate The Year oftheInterstate—nationwideco and “thelinchpinoftheU.S.econo the greatestengineeringachieve Celebrating 50Years m of Interstates —was inauguratedattheA m ony. AASHTOPresidentHarold 7 5 (1989), JosephM.Suss (2001), Willia SNO chairL.GaryByrd(1989–1995),JohnM.Sa Director Tho chair C.MichaelWalton (1991),pastExecutive Jr., currentSubco Koltnow (1979),ExecutiveDirectorRobertE.Skinner, Giuliano(2003), PeterG. Meyer (2006),Genevieve Townes (2004),LesterA.Hoel(1986),MichaelD. Loben Sels(1996),MartinWachs (2000),MichaelS. Clapp (1984). (1997), HerbertH.Richardson(1988),andJosephM. 3 Linda S.Watson (2007),LouisJ.Ga ( TRB ExecutiveCommitteechairs,lefttoright:) m ents ofallti m y.” m m as B.Deen,E.DeanCarlson(2002),past W. Millar(1992),DavidN.Wor m mm mm “oneof m erican e ittee forNRCOversight(SNO) m m m e” o- an (1994),Ja m es W. van m baccini m m ley uels 8 3 2 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 31 m ents ) mm ittee right ber Debra edia. At left m e mm m inistration; and m eeting. pshire DOT; ediate past Chair m ents. m m m an, Inc., review points mm John R. Njord, Utah John R. Njord, chairs the DOT, Michael D. Meyer, Georgia Institute of Linda S. Watson, Florida LYNX-Central Carol A. Murray, New Carol A. Murray, Ha C. Michael Walton, University of Texas, New Kansas DOT. L. Miller, Chair Neil J. TAC Pedersen ( Anne P. Canby, Surface Canby, Anne P. Policy Transportation Ashok G. Kaveeshwar, Research and I Michael S. Townes, ber Henry G. Schwartz, m inistration, co pton Roads Transit, m m m e 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 4 10 Regional Transportation as takes office Authority, Chair for 2006. Vice Innovative Technology Ad on a report; Technical Activities Council (TAC) representative Barry M. Sweedler is at right. Ha advice to new offers Executive Co business hel takes the Technology, for 2006. m University, Washington Jr., St. Louis. Joining in discussions are Austin; and shares his experiences in briefing the are Nicholas J. Garber, and University of Virginia, Michael R. Morris, North of Council Central Texas Govern Project; Ron Hynes, Federal Ad Transit representative Patricia V. TAC McLaughlin, Moore, Iacafano Golts during a break. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 5 8 3 10 7 2 9 4 6 1 TRB 32 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 Iowa ( Forkenbrock, Universityof Co Transportation Econo bership forservicetothe Receiving e FHWA ( and RalphC.Erickson, Syste National Transportation Douglass B.Lee,Jr., Volpe Virginia; and Chair Tischer, Co Section ChairMaryLynn Transportation Policy Martine A.Micozzi,TRB; mm m second fromright ittee areDavidJ. s Center. right mm m ), joinedby eritus onwealth of m e m m 2006 ANNUAL MEETINGHIGHLIGHTS ics ), - Meeting, arelistedbelow. The 2006groupofhonorees,recognizedattheAnnual service throughparticipationonTRBstandingco their significant,long-ter Re Photogra Darrel L.Baker Design andConstruction Transportation Planning Statewide Multi Neil J.Pedersen Preservation inTransportation Historic andArcheological Howard H.Newlon,Jr. Transportation Planning Statewide Multi Michael D.Meyer Planning andEnvironment Countries Transportation inDeveloping Michael A.Replogle Mobility Accessible Transportation and David L.Lewis Transportation History Lester A.Hoel Transportation Econo David J.Forkenbrock Transportation Econo Ralph C.Erickson Policy andOrganization TRB awardede m ote Sensing,Surveying mm etry, Leadership andService m m m Honoring Long-Ter eritus odal odal m m m ics ics m e m contributionsandoutstanding bership to28individuals,honoring Highway–Rail GradeCrossings Richard A.Mather Geo Operational Effects of Douglas W. Harwood Operations andMaintenance Flexible Pave Matthew W. Witczak Low-Volu Alex T. Visser of Bridges Dyna Robert A.P. Sweeney Geosynthetics L. DavidSuits Ce Ray Flexible Pave Carl L.Monis of EarthMaterials Exploration andClassification Jeffrey R.Keaton Structures Construction ofBridgesand Jackson L.Durkee Auto and Related m m m entitious Stabilization m m ond K.Moore etrics ated Syste ics andFieldTesting m e Roads m m m m ent Design ent Design mm ith m ittees. s of ElDoradoDOT. Chair RichardW. Shepard,County Bridge Manage tus Associates ( Arunprakash Shirole,Aroraand Edward R.Fleisch Syste Weight Motor Vehicle Sizeand Alan M.Clayton Freight Systems Rail Transit Syste S. DavidPhraner Syste Co Bridge Manage Arunprakash M.Shirole and Develop Public Transportation Planning Sally HillCooper Public Transportation Pedestrians Richard L.Knoblauch Pedestrians Richard D.Blo System Users Maintenance Equip Arlen T. Swenson Freeway Operations Ronald C.Sonntag mm m e m m m ittee onBusTransit s s bership certificatefro left m ), receivesane m m ent; BusTransit ent Co m berg m ent m s m an mm ent ittee m m eri- CALENDAR

TRB Meetings 2006 May 16–19 3rd International Conference 13–16 9th International Conference 3–4 Environmental Geospatial on Bridge Maintenance, on Applications of Advanced Information for Safety, and Management* Technology in Transportation: A Porto, Portugal Transportation* Multidisciplinary Examination Chicago, Illinois of Noteworthy Practices 16–20 11th AASHTO–TRB Thomas Palmerlee (by invitation) Maintenance Management Thomas Palmerlee Conference* 23–26 7th International Conference Charleston, South Carolina on Short- and Medium-Span 17–19 6th National Aviation System Bridges* Planning Symposium 23–26 45th Annual Workshop on Montreal, Quebec, Canada Daytona Beach, Florida Transportation Law Chicago, Illinois 27–29 The Metropolitan Planning 21–23 Innovations in Travel James McDaniel Organization: Present and Modeling 2006: A Conference Future—A Conference Austin, Texas 25–29 5th International Symposium Washington, D.C. on Highway Capacity* Kimberly Fisher June Yokohama, Japan 4–7 North American Travel September Monitoring Exposition and 30– 2nd International Symposium 13–15 10th National Conference on Conference Aug. 3 on Transportation Technology Transportation Planning for Minneapolis, Minnesota Transfer* Small and Medium-Sized St. Petersburg, Florida Communities: Tools of the 4–7 1st International Symposium Kimberly Fisher Trade on Freeway Operations* Nashville, Tennessee (by invitation) August Athens, Greece 2–4 3rd Bus Rapid Transit 18–20 5th National Seismic Conference Conference on Bridges and July Toronto, Ontario, Canada Highways* 8 Challenges of Data for Peter Shaw San Mateo, California Performance Measures (by invitation) 6–9 1st International Conference 25–27 Freight Demand Modeling: La Jolla, California on Fatigue and Fracture in Tools for Public-Sector Thomas Palmerlee the Infrastructure: Bridges Decision Making and Structures of the 21st Washington, D.C. 9–11 TRB 2006 Summer Century* Elaine King Conference Philadelphia, Pennsylvania La Jolla, California 26 Symposium on Applications 13–16 7th National Access of Geophysics for 9–11 31st Annual Summer Ports, Management Conference Geotechnical Projects Waterways, Freight, and Park City, Utah Breckenridge, Colorado International Trade Conference TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 La Jolla, California

Additional information on TRB meetings, including calls for abstracts, meeting registration, and hotel reservations, is available at www.TRB.org/calendar. To reach the TRB staff contacts, telephone 202-334-2934, fax 202-334-2003, or e-mail [email protected]. Meetings listed without a TRB staff contact have direct links from the TRB calendar web page.

*TRB is cosponsor of the meeting.

33 34 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 highway signsinTexas. Clearview letteringon System, CollegeStation. Texas A&MUniversity Transportation Institute, Design, Texas Head, Operationsand The authorisDivision RESEARCH T read thewords correctly. subjects walkedtoward thesignsuntiltheycould grounds. Thetestconditionswere nearlystatic— acute forolderdrivers. effect isknownasbloomingandcanbeparticularly causes theedgesofcharacterstoappearfuzzy. This ing thefullyretroreflective text—thereflected light of signconstruction,maintenance,andoperation. The signlightingcanbereduced, alongwiththecosts most efficient typesofretroreflective sheetingmaterials. ally isfullyretroreflective, incorporatingthelatestand have changedsubstantially. Thetextonguidesignsusu- materials, drivercharacteristics,andhighwayspeeds In thepast50years,signfabricationtechniquesand Problem PAUL J.CARLSON New LetteringReadsLarger, Clearer, Farther Guide SignLegibility Improving PAYS OFF Some olderdrivers,however, havedifficulty read- signs usingwhitetextonblackback- developed inthe1950sandwastestedon used fortextonhighwayguidesignswas he traditionalfont—orletteringdesign— structures. Signs wouldcostmore, aswouldthesupporting increasing thesizeofsignsby40to50percent. bility distance. the lettersonsignsby20percent toincrease thelegi- drivers. Thereport recommended enlarging thesizeof adequate viewingdistanceandreaction timeforolder tion (FHWA) foundthatguidesignsdidnotprovide word in either the Clearview or the Series EModified word orthe ineithertheClearview signs. Eachguidesignhadarandomly selectedtest drove alongaclosedcourseandread full-sizeguide ticipants—20 young,20middle-aged, and20older— made tothefont. letters revealed minorimprovements thatcouldbe System. WorkingA&M University withlarger sizesof Texas Transportation Institute (TTI),part oftheTexas fontat a full-scalelegibilitystudyoftheClearview Series EModifiedfont. distances thanwasa5-inchtall fontwaslegibleatsubstantiallygreatertall Clearview blooming effect. Asecondstudyconcludedthata5-inch and larger holes inletterslike“e”and“o”—reduced the improvements—a reduced andvariablestroke width as analternative(FigureClearview 2).Two major ified (Figure 1),andguidedthedevelopmentof Series EMod- identified deficienciesinthecurrent font, studieswithcomputersimulation objective laboratory State University. sylvania Transportation Institute (PTI),Pennsylvania research intheearly1990satPenn- onClearview Department ofTransportation (DOT)cosponsored legibility ofhighwayguidesigns.ThePennsylvania been underdevelopmentandtestingtoimprove the For more than10years,anewfont,Clearview, has Solution The useoflarger letters,however, wouldrequire A 1994studybytheFederalHighwayAdministra- In asecondstudybyTexas DOTandTTI,60par- buildonthesefindings, Texas DOTsponsoredTo In thefirststudy, subjectivefieldevaluationand TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 35 Suggestions for Pays Off” “Research welcome. topics are Contact G. P. Jayaprakash, Transpor- Board, tation Research Keck 488, 500 Fifth Washing- NW, Street, ton, DC 20001 (telephone 202-334-2952, e-mail gjayaprakash @nas.edu). : Appreciation is expressed to B. Ray is expressed : Appreciation OTE N S ’ Quantifying these effects, however, is not possi- however, Quantifying these effects, A definite benefit is that the Clearview font can Critical to the successful development of the DITOR Benefits shows that use of the Clearview font The research time sub- and reading sign legibility can improve the size of the sign. This stantially without increasing older drivers—and helps all drivers—particularly of navigational errors the occurrence will decrease and crashes. not are ble, because data on navigational errors do not indicate if the available, and crash reports factor in the crash. A a contributing signs were unlikely to develop a statis- study is before-and-after factor for the tically significant crash-reduction Clearview font because so many other factors are involved. for accommodating recommendations meet FHWA’s the sign size. older drivers without having to increase service for drivers to improve This allows state DOTs age 65 and older at a minimal cost. Clearview font is the collaboration and coordination between the developer of Clearview (Don Meeker of team (Phil Garvey Design), the PTI research Terminal team (Paul and Martin Pietrucha), and the TTI research The J. Carlson, Gene Hawkins, and Sue Chrysler). formerly vision, guidance, and support of Art Breneman, Texas Brinkmeyer, and of Greg with Pennsylvania DOT, information about equally vital. For more were DOT, or this article, please contact Paul J. Carl- this research son, Division Head, Operations and Design, TTI, at 979-845-6004; [email protected]. E FIGURE 2 Clearview version of guide sign increases FIGURE 2 Clearview version legibility at greater distances without increasing letter or sign sizes. Derr, Transportation Research Board, for his effort in for his effort Board, Research Transportation Derr, developing this article. 1 Research on Clearview continues. Texas DOT and on Clearview continues. Texas Research This study showed conclusively that the legibility DOT–TTI study used the Clearview Texas A third microprismatic A combination of the most efficient http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/res-ia_clearview_font.htm. 1 TTI are evaluating the Clearview font for regulatory TTI are and warning signs. Because these signs have nonre- flective black letters instead of the bright white letters is needed to used on guide signs, separate research evaluate the font’s performance. At least 12 states, including Pennsylvania and Texas, have adopted the Clearview font for signs. Application in September 2004 FHWA’s of the research, As a result granted interim Operations of Transportation Office for use of the Clearview font on guide signs. approval font. The legibility distance was recorded when the font. The legibility distance was recorded the guide sign aloud. read correctly participants on greater distance for the Clearview font is 12 percent average than that for the Series E Modified font. This increase 25 percent to an approximately corresponds In addition, older per hour. time at 70 miles in reading gains in legibility dis- drivers experienced the largest the Clearview time with font. tance and reading font on guide signs to determine the best combinations sheeting for the white Clearview text of retroreflective The study showed that the background. on a green was obtained with the most legibility distance greatest high- materials; moreover, microprismatic efficient back- material in the green intensity retroreflective the legibility distances. did not compromise ground materials for the legend with high-intensity materials The signing yields win-win results. for the background in the signs, agency gains durability and cost-efficiency and drivers gain contrast, which is beneficial for legibility in dark conditions. FIGURE 1 Guide sign with Series E Modified FIGURE 1 Guide sign font. lettering, which has served as the standard PROFILES ......

Henry G. R. Kerali The World Bank

e need to do much more to analyze effort is needed from transport professionals to put forward a strong the impact of budget allocations on the case for adequate funding for transport infrastructure, particularly future performance of transport infor roads.” frastructure,” observes Henry G. R. Appointed Professor of Highway Engineering and Manage- Kerali,“W Lead Transport Specialist and Program Team Leader at the ment at the University of Birmingham in 2001, Kerali set to work World Bank, Washington, D.C., since January 2003. on what would become one of his most recognized projects, a tes- He applies his 20 years of experience in transportation policy tament to his beliefs that a sustainable transportation infrastruc- development, institutional reform, and human resource develop- ture is essential for economic growth. Kerali spearheaded the ment to managing the bank’s portfolio of transportation sector international effort to produce the highway development and projects in Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Central Asia. The port- management system HDM-4, a cost–benefit analysis model folio includes projects and policy studies that cover all of the major designed to support decision making by highway administrators areas of transportation, particularly roads, rail, aviation, urban and engineers. The model predicts economic, social, and envi- transportation, and ports and inland waterways. ronmental impacts that could occur during the investment deci- Kerali thrives on building a consensus between transportation sion-making process. professionals and government agencies around the world. Before For example, the road deterioration models in HDM-4 attempt to present the highly complex interactions between “Greater effort is needed from vehicles, the pavement surface, and the environment. Many developing and transition countries, transport professionals to put The World Bank, and other donor agencies currently use the HDM-4 model to assess the economic feasi- forward a strong case for bility of road investments throughout the world. adequate funding for Kerali emphasizes the importance of communi- cating clearly with governing agencies in countries transport infrastructure, with transportation projects under way. The use of terminology and indicators that can be readily particularly for roads.” understood by politicians and the public is vital. “Presenting the average condition of a road network as good, fair, or poor will have much more taking his position with the bank, he was a Professor of Highway impact than presenting [information about] the average riding Engineering and Management at the University of Birmingham in quality of a road network using the International Roughness England. He was also involved in several consulting assignments Index,” Kerali notes. for the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, A Uganda native proficient in four languages, Kerali attended the Department for International Development of Great Britain, the Makerere University in Kampala, graduating with a bachelor of sci- European Commission, and various international finance institu- ence degree in civil engineering. After working for several years in tions and consulting firms. Uganda, postgraduate studies led him to Birmingham, England, A firm believer that “transport infrastructure and systems are where he earned a master’s degree in highway and traffic engi- the cornerstones to a nation’s economic growth,” Kerali points out neering. Kerali completed his studies at the University of Bir- that in developing countries, “budget allocations for investments mingham in 1986, gaining a doctorate in road management and in the transport sector are often less than what is required to keep financing for transitional and developing countries. the infrastructure and transport system in a sustainable operating Kerali has published in more than 100 journals, papers, and condition.” books. He has participated in the Transportation Research Board’s Faced with tight budget constraints, the transportation sector Data Analysis Working Group and has served on the Rigid Pave- often must compete for funds with other sectors such as health, ment Design Committee. He is currently a member of the Long- education, and security. Although a lack of financing for the other term Pavement Performance Committee and the Transportation in sectors often results in immediate political pressure, the same does the Developing Countries Committee. not usually apply to roads, Kerali points out. A chartered professional engineer, he is a fellow of the Institu- “It can take years for transport infrastructure to deteriorate to tion of Civil Engineers, London. His knowledge and first-hand a level that might generate equivalent public pressure for more experience solving transportation problems have gained him invi-

TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 financing—yet timely preventive maintenance is usually three to tations to make keynote presentations at several international and 36 four times less expensive than rehabilitation,” he observes. “Greater regional conferences and workshops. PROFILES ......

Roger E. Smith Texas A&M University

s Herbert D. Kelleher Professor of Transportation “The challenge was to develop a business-like approach to and the associate head for undergraduate studies managing the design, maintenance, rehabilitation, and recon- in the department of civil engineering at Texas struction of pavement networks by incorporating basic engi- A&M University, Roger E. Smith is a teacher and neering principles,” Smith recalls. The program was a Aa leader. success—PMP is now used by more than 105 of the 109 Bay From 1968 to 1975, Smith honed his leadership skills in the Area cities and counties, as well as by dozens of other cities and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while stationed in Korea, Viet- counties throughout California, Oregon, and Washington State. nam, and Germany. As an officer in the Corps, Smith served in Smith has continued to provide technical training and support a variety of capacities. He commanded an atomic demolitions for the PMP. munitions delivery platoon, commanded an engineer company Another example of Smith’s research is the American Asso- responsible for constructing and maintaining roads in Viet- ciation of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ nam, served as an adviser to the Army Reserve Construction (AASHTO) Guide for Pavement Management, which he devel- Engineer Battalion, commanded an armored engineering com- oped with two colleagues, Tom Freeman and Eric Moody. Pre- pany, and served as brigade engineer for an armored brigade. In pared through the National Cooperative Highway Research the Corps, Smith gained valuable experience in military engi- Program, the guide was created to assist state highway agencies throughout the United States in adopt- “Conducting research keeps my ing, implementing, and using pavement management principles. The Task Force knowledge of the subjects I am on Pavements of AASHTO reviewed the guide and eventually published it in teaching current with available 2001. knowledge and generally beyond In 1986, Smith earned a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of the state of the art and practice.” Illinois and joined Texas A&M Univer- sity as an associate professor. His areas of expertise include pavement evaluation and rehabilitation, management and design, infrastructure management, and neering, construction management, building construction, transportation and construction materials. highway construction, pavement maintenance, and technical “Practicing engineers do not always adopt the best knowl- writing. edge, methods, and practices available,” Smith says. “A large In 1975, Smith left the Corps to start work on a bachelor of portion of my research before coming to Texas A&M was science and eventually master of science degree in civil engi- directed toward application of engineering principles to solve neering at the University of Illinois. In the course of his stud- current problems.” This gave him the benefit of being involved ies, Smith participated in research on load transfer systems for in research that supports the courses and material he teaches at concrete pavements for the Federal Aviation Administration Texas A&M. and the Federal Highway Administration and helped develop a “I have never considered research as a distraction from teach- nationwide pavement evaluation system. ing—I have always considered it a necessary part of my teaching In 1984, while working for ERES Consultants in Cham- activities,” he reports. “Conducting research keeps my knowl- paign, Illinois, Smith applied his expertise to a project for the edge of the subjects I am teaching current with available knowl- TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) of Oakland, edge and generally beyond the state of the art and practice.” California. This led to MTC launching a pavement management Active in the Transportation Research Board since the mid- initiative, known as the Street Saver Pavement Management 1980s, Smith first served on the Strength and Deformation Program (PMP), to provide pavement maintenance and reha- Characteristics of Pavement Sections Committee. He chaired bilitation decision support for local agencies in the San Fran- the Pavement Maintenance Committee from 1990 to 1996, and cisco Bay Area. The initiative sought not only to provide he helped form and cochair the subcommittee on Local Agency information to the engineering and public works staff, but to Pavement Management. In 2004, Smith was named an emeri- improve pavement funding levels and allocation of funds to bet- tus member of the Pavement Maintenance Committee, and in ter address pavement needs. Smith provided technical guid- 2005 he was named an emeritus member of the Pavement Mon- ance, direction, and support. itoring, Evaluation, and Data Storage Committee. 37 38 TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 TRB HIGHLIGHTS Evanston, Illinois,wassingledoutforworkon Based Materials,Northwestern University, ing, andDirector, CenterforAdvancedCement- Department ofCivilandEnvironmental Engineer- Steel BridgesCommittee. TRB’s Award,Service Crum Distinguished on heserves 2005RoyW.specifications. RecipientofTRB’s development ofloadandresistance factordesign the designofmajorbridgesandforleadershipin ters, Inc.,Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,wascitedfor President, andChiefEngineer, ModjeskiandMas- MarineBoard. ber ofTRB’s coastal andoceanengineering.Heisacurrent mem- more, waselectedforcontributionsto Maryland, Civil Engineering,JohnsHopkinsUniversity, Balti- erman Professor ofCivilEngineering,Department of Award.Service Carey Distinguished W.mittee andwasthe2005recipient ofTRB’s N. a formerchair(1993)oftheTRBExecutiveCom- ronmental aspectsoftransportation systems.Heis vations inthemobility, aesthetic,safety, andenvi- Brinckerhoff, Denver, Colorado,wascitedforinno- members includefourwhohavebeenactiveinTRB: education, ordevelopingtechnology. Thenewlyelected and contributionstotheprofession inresearch, practice, 9 foreign associatesforsignificantcareer achievements National Academieshaselected76newmembersand The NationalAcademyofEngineering(NAE)the Engineers ReceiveCareer Honors and SecretaryBobReilly, TRB. Chair Wes Lum,Caltrans( meeting; heisflankedbyVice Transportation, presidedat the Arizona Departmentof Chair Victor Mendez ( totaling $20.5million.SCOR 2007 andselected53projects Program fundinginfiscalyear Cooperative HighwayResearch 188 candidatesforNational on Research(SCOR)considered (AASHTO) StandingCommittee and Transportation Officials Association ofStateHighway March 21–23,theAmerican Meeting inWashington, D.C., CAREFUL CONSIDERATION—     Surendra P.Shah, Walter P. MurphyProfessor, John M.Kulicki,ChiefExecutiveOfficer, Robert Willard A.Dalrymple, andLillianHack- A. RayChamberlain,Manager, Parsons center left ), ), are among the world’s mostaccomplishedengineers. are amongtheworld’s 2,200 peer-elected membersandforeign associates tothenation.Itsmoreleadership inservice than nologies RelatedtoConcrete Committee. BasicResearch andEmergingber ofTRB’s Tech- concrete materials.Hecurrently asamem- serves ing interdisciplinary research andeducationon advanced cement-basedmaterialsandforpromot- Founded in1964,NAEprovides engineering sage subjectfield. nas.edu with“TRBE-Newsletter”inthemes- links torelated informationanddocuments. called “IntheKnow.” hasweb Eachsummary includes related itemsofinterest inasection versity, andinternationalresearch news;and news andpublications;onfederal,state,uni- newsletter provides updatesonTRB summary research. the latestdevelopmentsintransportation website,where asaportal itserves to TRB’s via e-mailfree ofcharge andispostedon States. Thenewsletterisdistributed United subscribers in94countriesoutsidethe the 20,000markinMarch, including2,789 Circulation oftheTRBE-Newsletterpassed via Cyberspace E-Newsletter Delivers osubscribe,sendane-mailtoRHouston@ To Issued weeklysinceJune2002,the BOOK SHELF Assessing and Managing the Ecological Impacts of box boats have become a necessity for the world’s Paved Roads economies and traces the positive and negative effects. Committee on Ecological Impacts of Road Density, National Research Council, The National Academies Press, The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington, D.C., 2006; 324 pp.; $65; 0-309-10088-7. Washington Metro In the past two decades, the Federal Highway Zachary M. Schrag, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Administration and state transportation agencies Baltimore, Maryland, 2006; 384 pp.; $30; 0-8018- increasingly have recognized the need to reduce the 8246-X. negative effects of transportation on the natural envi- In an era when Americans embraced the automo- ronment. All phases of road development—from con- bile, how did Washington, D.C., reject freeways and struction to use by vehicles to maintenance—affect build rail transit instead? Using extensive archival physical and chemical soil conditions, water flow, and research as well as oral history, Schrag argues that the air and water quality, as well as plants and animals. This decision to build the Washington Metro can be report provides guidance on ways to reconcile the dif- understood only in the political context of its time— ferent goals of road development and environmental the Great Society liberalism of the Kennedy, Johnson, conservation. It identifies the ecological effects that can and Nixon administrations, when Americans be evaluated in the planning, design, construction, and believed in public investments suited to the grandeur maintenance of roads and offers several recommenda- and dignity of the world’s richest nation. tions to improve the understanding and management of Shrag examines the project from its earliest days, the ecological impacts of paved roads. including general planning, routes, station architecture, funding decisions, land use impacts, and the Box Boats: How Container Ships Changed the World behavior of Metro riders. He explores Metro not only Brian J. Cudahy, Fordham University Press, Bronx, New as a work of planning, engineering, and architecture, York, 2006; 352 pp.; $29.95; 0-8232-2568-2. but as a work of politics and ideology. The story of Container ships have revolutionized the marine the Great Society subway sheds light on the devel- transport of goods worldwide. Marking the 50th opment of metropolitan Washington, postwar urban anniversary of the maiden voyage of the first container policy, and the promises and limits of rail transit in ship, Cudahy provides a concise history of world ship- American cities. ping—from freighter types to steamship lines—and explores the growth of global trade carried by box boats The books in this section are not TRB publica- and ship lines connecting Asia, Europe, and the Amer- tions. To order, contact the publisher listed. icas. This maritime history shows how fleets of ungainly

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Integrating Sustainability into the Transportation Bituminous Binders 2005 Planning Process Transportation Research Record 1901 Conference Proceedings 37 Bituminous Binders 2005 includes papers on such topics Participants in the Conference on Integrating Sustain- as the effect of filler on the aging potential of asphalt ability into the Transportation Planning Process, in mixtures, the adhesion and cohesion of asphalts in rela- Baltimore, Maryland, July 11–13, 2004, exchanged per- tion to the effect of moisture on laboratory performance spectives on the challenges to creating sustainable trans- of asphalt mixtures, low-temperature properties and portation systems. This proceedings reports on a general the fragility of asphalt binders, and the high-tempera- session that examined the indicators of sustainability ture rheological properties of asphalt binders. TR NEWS 243 MARCH–APRIL 2006 and on concurrent sessions that focused on challenges 2005; 59 pp.; TRB affiliates, $30.75; TRB nonaffiliates, and potential solutions. Findings and recommendations $41. Subscriber category: materials and construction (IIIB). of the conference committee are provided, along with two resource papers on defining sustainable transport Transportation and Land Development 2005 and on taking actions to meet the challenges. TRB, the Transportation Research Record 1902 Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Environ- Transportation and Land Development 2005 includes mental Protection Agency sponsored the conference. papers on automobile ownership and use in neotradi- 2005; 59 pp.; TRB affiliates, $24.75; TRB nonaffili- tional and conventional neighborhoods; transportation- ates, $33. Subscriber categories: planning and adminis- efficient land use regulations and their application in the tration (IA); energy and environment (IB). 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Business Officeat contact the bookstore/, or store, www.TRB.org/ TRB onlineBook- Bookshelf, visitthe titles describedin ordertheTRB To SHELF BOOK TRB PUBLICATIONS transportation (IX). public transit(VI);freight transportation (VIII);marine istration (IA);operationsandsafety (IV);aviation(V); ates, $21.Subscribercategories: planningandadmin- responsible forallmodesoftransportation. guidelines are designedtoassistCOOPplanners tain, trainfor, andexercise COOPcapabilities.The transportation agenciestodevelop,implement, main- TCRP report provides guidelinesforstateandlocal ural orhuman-precipitated events.ThisjointNCHRP- from adisruption ininternaloperationscausedbynat- an organization willprepare for, respond to,andrecover Continuity ofoperations(COOP)plansdescribehow TCRP Report86,Volume 8 NCHRP Report525,Volume 8,and Transportation Agencies Operations (COOP)PlanningGuidelinesfor Transportation Security:Continuityof $50. Subscribercategory: highwayandfacilitydesign(IIA). simulations. loading offirst-flushpollutantswithtreatment strategy highwayculverts, andthemass management ofUtah’s agency performance incontext-sensitivesolutions,the ways, aframeworkformeasuringstatetransportation guardrail toconcrete bridgerailforlow-speedroad- water quality.Subjects includethetransitionfrom design andsolutions;hydrology, hydraulics,and Papers address roadside safetydesign;context-sensitive Transportation Research Record1904 Highway FacilityDesign ates, $45.Subscribercategory: publictransit(VIA). vice, andrelated topics. ties, theplananddesignofataxipooldispatchingser- coordinated inruralcommuni- transportation services bus schedules,initiatingrapidtransitinIndonesia, transit. Research ispresented onfleetsizes forvariable egories: bus;ruralpublicandintercity bus;andpara- Papers inthisvolumeapplytothree publictransitcat- Transportation Research Record1903 and Paratransit Transit: Bus,RuralPublicandIntercity, tration (IA). ates, $50.Subscribercategory: planningandadminis- actionspace;andmore. variability inanindividual’s initiatives ontransportation; theanalysisofday-to-day impacts ofcomprehensive planningandsmart growth urban formandthemodifiableareal unitproblem; 2005; 74pp.;TRBaffiliates, $15.75;TRBnonaffili- 2005; 143pp.;TRBaffiliates, $37.50;TRBnonaffiliates, 2005; 104pp.;TRBaffiliates, $33.75;TRBnonaffili- 2005; 144pp.;TRBaffiliates, $37.50;TRBnonaffili- rail (VII). iates, $28.Subscribercategories: publictransit(VI); istics andproper applications. from avariety ofsources, toascertain theircharacter- field reviews, andanalysesofdirect-fixation fasteners tion applications.Part Bprovides data,evaluations, track construction,andmaterialsusedindirect-fixa- teners, fastenerqualificationsandproduction tests, forthefas- as examplespecificationsandcommentary methods fordirect-fixation fastenersandtrack,aswell ing track-designprinciplesandmaterialevaluation ation tracksystems.Part Aincludes sections describ- guidance onthedesignandconstructionofdirect-fix- TCRP Report71,Volume 6 Specifications, Research, andRelatedMaterial Track-Related Research: Direct-Fixation Track Design istration (IA);energy andenvironment (IB). ates, $17.Subscribercategories:planningandadmin- the NationalEnvironmental PolicyAct. 106 oftheNationalHistoricPreservation Actand Section and innovativepracticesforcomplyingwith business practicesare reviewed, alongwitheffective reach. Internalstatedepartment oftransportation native Americans,aswellefforts atpublicout- including communicationbetweenagenciesand stages oftransportation programs are examined, tain goodcommunicationandcoordination atall logical resources. Approaches toimprove andmain- the sametimeenhancestewardship ofarchaeo- line thetransportation project process delivery butat Addressed inthisvolumeare practicesthatstream- NCHRP Synthesis347 Managing Archaeological Investigations transportation (VIII). tion, andenvironment (I);publictransit(VI);freight ates, $24.Subscribercategories:planning,administra- decision making. cerns intosystems-leveltransportation planningand ating, andintegratingenvironmental issuesandcon- report offers abroad frameworkforassessing,evalu- ronmental factorsintransportation planning.The are describedforsuccessfulconsiderationofenvi- Procedures, methods,andinstitutionalarrangements NCHRP Report541 SystemsPlanning portation Consideration ofEnvironmental FactorsinTrans- 2005; CD-ROM;TRBaffiliates, $21;TRBnonaffil- This two-part report, suppliedon CD-ROM,offers 2005; 56pp.;TRBaffiliates, $12.75;TRBnonaffili- 2005; 108pp.;TRBaffiliates, $18;TRBnonaffili- INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS TO TR NEWS

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Critical Issues in Transportation Integrating Sustainability into the Strategies to Increase Coordination of TRB Miscellaneous Publication, Transportation Planning Process Transportation Services for the 16 pages, 8.5 x 11, free (2006). TRB Conference Proceedings 37, Transportation Disadvantaged To order, contact Russell Houston at ISBN 0-309-09418-6, 59 pages, Transit Cooperative Research Program [email protected]. 8.5 x 11, paperback, $33.00 (2005) Report 105, ISBN 0-309-08813-5, 77 pages, 8.5 x 11, paperback, The Fuel Tax and Alternatives for Guide for Emergency Transportation $31.00 (2004) Transportation Funding Operations TRB Special Report 285, 6 x 9, National Cooperative Highway The Marine Transportation System and paperback, on press—forthcoming Research Program (NCHRP) Report 525, the Federal Role: Measuring May 2006 Vol. 6, ISBN 0-309-08829-1, 56 pages, Performance, Targeting Improvement 8.5 x 11, paperback, $21.00 (2005) TRB Special Report 279, ISBN 0-309- Future Truck and Bus Safety Research 09452-6, 180 pages, 6 x 9, paperback, Opportunities State Construction Quality Assurance $24.00 (2003) TRB Conference Proceedings 38, Programs ISBN 0-309-09422-4, 107 pages, NCHRP Synthesis 346, ISBN 0-309- The Workforce Challenge: Recruiting, 8.5 x 11, paperback, $40.00 (2006) 09749-5, 75 pages, 8.5 x 11, paperback, Training, and Retaining Qualified $17.00 (2005) Workers for Transportation and Transit Agencies TRB Special Report 275, ISBN 0-309- 08563-2, 186 pages, 6 x 9, paperback, $23.00 (2003)

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