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Self - Organized Transport System

This report presents the findings of the simulation model for a self-organized transport system where traffic lights communicate with neighboring traffic lights and make decisions locally to adapt to traffic conditions in real time. The model is inspired by the behavior of social insects which exhibit sophisticated collective behavior despite having limited individual abilities. The initial results show an improvement in average vehicle delay for the self-organized traffic system compared to some of the other basic traffic control schemes.

Expert System For Concrete Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is an important component of concrete construction. In most cases the quality of concrete is assessed using 28 day companion cylinder strengths Because corrections cannot be done economically after 28 days, the quality of concrete is always monitored at earlier stages. The most widely used quality control measure of plastic concrete is slump. The other measures are air content and wet density.

Guidelines for Traffic Signal Energy Back-Up Systems

Power outages affect traffic signalized intersections, leading to potentially serious problems. Current practices of responding to power failures are very basic, ranging from ‘do nothing’ to installing portable generators. The purpose of this research project was to provide the NYSDOT with a better understand the practices of other agencies in dealing with dark traffic signals and to develop guidelines for instrumenting uninterrupted backup power at intersections across the state.

Public Transit In New York: Keep Up with the Trend – A Case Study of Mode Choices in the New York Metropolitan Region

We investigate the role of the built environment in mode choice decisions for home-based work tours in the New York Metropolitan Region. The analysis is conducted using a multinomial logit model. There are two main results of this study. First, the built environment influences people’s mode choice decisions, even after controlling cost variables. Population and employment densities have explanatory power, so do the variables measuring the access distance between the nearest mass transportation facility and a stop in the tour. Second, tour characteristics do affect mode choices.

Utilizing Remote Sensing Technology in PostDisaster Management of Transportation Networks

Infrastructure system components such as bridges, highways, tunnels, traffic systems, road pavements, and other systems are considered assets that should be protected and properly managed. Yet, the degree of deterioration and the risk of exposure to natural (e.g., earthquakes, floods, etc.) as well as malicious disasters are dangerously high. Major decisions must be made to allocate the available but limited funds for maintaining and safeguarding our national infrastructure.

Quantifying Non-Recurring Delay on New York City’s Arterial Highways

The project will help NYSDOT and NYCDOT better quantify and predict the non-recurring delay (NRD) from incidents on the City?s highway network.  NRD is a substantial portion of the total delay that occurs within the City and it can be mitigated through various actions.  If NYSDOT and NYCDOT can better predict NRD and trace it to the causing factors, they can take actions to reduce it.  Those actions range from TSM and ITS measures to geometric changes and capacity investments.

Household Travel Survey Research

New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) are planning an effort for 2005/2006 to collect data in order to update the Best Practice Model (BPM) and Regional Transportation Forecast Model (RTFM). This research project will assist NYMTC?s Technical Survey Unit by documenting issues incurred in the planning and process of the Regional Travel Household Interview Survey 1996/1997 (RT-HIS) and the Comprehensive Travel Telephone Survey 1989 (CTTS ).

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Operational Support Contracts

ITS is a tool to improve and mange the transportation network effectively to meet growing demands for services. The Transportation Operation Center (TOC) is the heart of the ITS activities. The investment made on technology, infrastructure, and people all come together under the TOC operation, and maintaining efficiency of the TOC operation at peak-Level is the main goal. ITS operational support also has an added meaning of Traffic Signals Systems hardware (including loop detectors) and software components. These activities are key in the NJDOT programs.

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