Topic 1

Title: Evaluation of ODOT Research and Development Implementation Effectiveness
State Job Number: 14414
Final Report, October 1988 (2,866 KB)
Executive Summary, (58 KB)

Thirty (30) ODOT research and development projects out of the 71 that were completed between 1980 and 1987 were included in this research.  Twenty four (24) of the projects were evaluated as having results which can be implemented varied from 0 to 100 percent.  Six projects ended without findings or could not be determined if the findings from the research were implementable or implemented. Of the 24 projects that had some degree of implementability, 12 projects could have had all of the research results implemented, but only 10 projects were fully implemented.  Hence, in effect, at least 10 out of 30 projects (at least one third) were fully implemented.  At a 90% level of confidence, this research found that the ODOT R&D program has been successful and that benefit-cost ratios averaged medium to high.  ODOT R&D implementation has been effective, but there is room for significant improvement.  Communication problems were found to be the root cause of research implementation ineffectiveness.  Recommendations are included to improve the communication process and research implementation effectiveness.  

 

Topic 2

Title: Off Road Axle Detection Sensor (ORADS)
State Job Number: 14669
Final Report, August 1997 (888 KB)
Executive Summary, (59 KB)

The work accomplished under this initiative is in direct relation to the development effort proposed by Spectra Research, Inc. (S*R) for an "Off-Road Axle Detection Sensor (ORADS)". The feasibility study was performed to investigate potential occlusions that may arise from the use of a laser-radar (LADAR) based sensor configuration.  This feasibility study was suggested to determine any potential risk in the development.

 

Topic 3

Title: Traffic Monitoring Using Satellite and Ground Data
State Job Number: 14658
Final Report, April 2000 (9,742 KB)
Executive Summary, (78 KB)

Implementation Plan, ( KB) Not available yet

Satellite imagery could conceivably be added to data traditionally collected in traffic monitoring programs to allow wide spatial coverage unobtainable from ground-based sensors in a safe, off-the-road environment. Previously, we estimated that 1-m resolution panchromatic imagery should allow accurate vehicle counts and rough vehicle classifications, while large vehicles might be accurately detected with only 4-m resolution. At least three private groups are planning to market such high-resolution satellite data in the near future, but several issues must be addressed before these data could be used to complement traffic monitoring programs. This report addresses the following issues:  demonstrating that vehicles can be identified and classified accurately from satellite imagery; developing efficient image processing methods; and determining methods to integrate the imagery with ground-based data and assessing the value of this integration.

 

Topic 4

Title: Off-Road Axle Detection Sensor (ORADS)
State Job Number: 14710
Final Report, April 2000 (6,889 KB)
Executive Summary, (404 KB)

Implementation Plan, (96 KB)

Spectra Research has developed a non-intrusive lane monitoring sensors which can be used to measure and classify vehicular traffic over multiple lane roadways.  This sensor employs dual beam laser radar (LADAR) that accurately measures location and passage of vehicle tires to determine axle count, vehicle velocity, volume, and classification over multiple lanes.

 

Topic 5

Title: Impact of By-Passes to Ohio Communities Under 35,000 Population
State Job Number: 14724
Final Report, June 2001 (4,181 KB)
Executive Summary, (44 KB)

Implementation Plan, (87 KB)

The Ohio Department of Transportation receives many requests from local units of government to construct by-pass-highways around city centers. The primary reasons for said requests are to remove through truck traffic from local roadways and to spur economic development. Previous research on this topic presents different and sometimes contradictory results. Transportation funds are finite and must be used in the most efficient manner. By-pass highway construction is expensive and, it is suspected that for certain cities, it may have a negative effect on the center city that is by-passed. Therefore, John E. Kleymeyer & Associates prepared this study of Ohio cities with a population under 35,000 for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

 

Topic 6

Title: Best ITS Management Practices & Technologies for Ohio
State Job Number: 14761
Final Report, July 2001 (1,576 KB)
Executive Summary, (31 KB)

Implementation Plan, (475 KB)

In committing to the creation of an ITS program, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) executive management wanted to define and document the best practices and policies for ITS as based on experience from other states and experts in the field. Policy interests included overarching issues such as the appropriate focus of ODOT's program, and highly technical issues such as technology-specific deployment. In response, this research has focused primarily on answering three questions:

1.  What are the causes of delay on Ohio's macro corridors?

2.  What is the profile of an ITS program to best address delay?

3.  What are the best practices and technologies to support Ohio's ITS program?

 

Topic 7

Title: Development of a Dynamic Traffic Assignment in The Development of a Congestion Management System
State Job Number: 14681
Final Report, June 2002 (3,183 KB)
Executive Summary, (58 KB)

Implementation Plan, (95 KB)

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) required all states to develop and implement a congestion management system (CMS) [I]. ISTEA defines a congestion management system as a process of data collection and analysis. This process includes monitoring existing transportation system performance and evaluating strategies with the potential to reduce traffic congestion and improve mobility. The CMS, once implemented, will serve as a decision-support tool and an integral part of the transportation planning process. However, new analytical tools are needed to model and evaluate the potential benefits of congestion management as part of the CMS program. Under ISTEA, states and other government agencies began to recognize the positive benefits of congestion management in the planning process. As these benefits continue to be realized, a more thorough understanding of congestion and the need for better approaches to mitigate congestion will be achieved.

 

Topic 8

Title: Freight Impacts on Ohio's Roadway System
State Job Number: 14766
Final Report, June 2002 (16,732 KB)
Executive Summary, (303 KB)

Implementation Plan, (95 KB)

 

The Ohio Department of Transportation is developing a comprehensive, statewide, travel demand forecasting model, which will include sophisticated freight-planning capabilities; however, the model will not be fully functional until 2005. The purposes of this research study are to determine how readily available freight databases could: provide information on freight flows; forecast freight truck flows on Ohio’s roadways; and be used to assess its impact on those roadways.

 

The research study obtained Reebie Associates’ 1998 TRANSEARCH’ database of freight shipments traveling to, from or through Ohio. Forecasts of Ohio’s economy were obtained from the firm of DRI-WEFA and used to estimate freight flows for the year 2025. Methods were developed to assign the flow of freight shipments to Ohio’s major roadway using database queries within TRANSEARCH. The resulting network flows were then mapped as a roadway network using the ArcView GIS software. The research study found that the Origin-Destination tonnage information could be converted to daily trucks and mapped to Ohio’s roadways. The resulting assigned freight truck volumes agreed with the pattern of observed truck counts and screenlines. The methods used, county-to-county assignments and all-or-nothing assignments, produced flows that are accurate for corridors, not for individual facilities.

 

Topic 9

Title: Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study
State Job Number: 134138
Final Report, March 2005 (14,431 KB)
Executive Summary, (1,264 KB)

Implementation Plan, (96 KB)

Freight movements showed tremendous growth over the past decade, and a steady growth is expected into the future. The seven state region that borders the western Great Lakes (MN, IA, WI, IL, IN, OH, MI) is a critical corridor, generating 30% of the nation’s freight movements. Just as important as a high-value shipment going overseas is the movement of materials to a neighboring state. These intra-regional movements of freight are vital for economic development, job growth, and quality of life in the nation, the region, as well as within individual states.

How the public sector addresses the growing amount of freight shipments, now and in the future, will affect many areas of importance to this region: economic competitiveness, jobs, cost of goods, and transportation system congestion and safety. While both the private and the public sectors agree that this important issue must be addressed quickly, neither sector is totally prepared to deal with the anticipated impacts of this projected increase. Current practices will no longer be sufficient to meet the increased demands on the infrastructure and/or increased costs associated with freight transport.

Without proper collaboration and communication between the two sectors, and between the states and planning agencies of the region, the impacts of projected freight growth could be unacceptable to the people of the Upper Midwest.

 

Topic 10

Title: Communication Strategies for State Transportation Research Programs
State Job Number: 14806
Final Report (All Volumes), June 2005 ( 21,750 KB)
Executive Summary, (194 KB)

Implementation Plan, ( KB) Not available yet

Transportation research is often “open ended” and difficult to measure, in that it is beneficiaries may not know how they have been served by research activities and results.  This study’s objectives were as follows:

1. Seek out and obtain feedback from DOT constituents (i.e., other state Research Offices, traveling public, political entities, researchers, contractors, other DOT offices) to ultimately enhance their awareness of and communication with the Research Office.

2. Develop an efficient, resource-appropriate strategic communication plan based on high-quality data that can be readily implemented within the existing DOT organizational structure and that supports ODOT’s overall mission and goals.

3. Develop a strategic communication template that can be adapted for use by other state DOTs.

 

Topic 11

Title: Validation of ODOT Sufficiency Rating System
State Job Number: 14810
Final Report, December 2005 (224 KB)
Executive Summary, (39 KB)

Implementation Plan, ( KB) Not available yet

 

A composite indicator, termed "sufficiency rating", can be used to determine how sufficient is each segment of the highway when compared to a properly designed, constructed and operated highway. This study first presents an overview of ODOT’s current sufficiency rating (SR) system followed by a comparative study of SR systems in other states. The system developed by ODOT, like most other states, was based on the opinions of an expert panel who, based on their previous knowledge and experience, selected the type and number of parameters including the weights assigned to each parameter. A 0 to 100 points scale represented the sufficiency rating of a highway segment.  This approach for developing a sufficiency rating system was subjective and would likely introduce a bias in the system when implemented. Hence, the researchers recommended an objective approach for developing the SR system which consisted of three major variables namely, Condition, Congestion, and Crashes. Condition was represented by PCR (Pavement Condition Rating), Congestion was represented by Volume/Capacity Ratio and Crashes was represented by Crash Density. A statistical technique called Principal Component Analysis was used for developing mathematical models to calculate the sufficiency ratings for 10 functional classifications of highways in the State of Ohio.  The models are expected to adequately describe the overall condition of the highway with the variables appropriately identified and weighed to reflect their significance with minimal bias in the system. It is recommended that the statewide sufficiency rating models for 10 functional classifications of highways be implemented by the Ohio Department of Transportation so it would lead toward a better allocation of scarce resources in the future.

 

Topic 12

Title: The Columbus Metropolitan Freeway Management System (CMFMS) Effectiveness Study: Part 2 - The After Study
State Job Number: 134152
Final Report,  March 2006 (18,011 KB)
Executive Summary, (75 KB)

Implementation Plan, (104 KB)

Although the primary objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of the CMFMS, the effort developed calibration tools and performance measures that should also prove useful for ongoing operations. Data for this evaluation were collected on the mainline and ramps using the CMFMS loop detectors, dedicated probe vehicle runs and Central Ohio Transit Agency (COTA) automatic vehicle location (AVL) system on transit vehicles in the corridor. This study provides quantitative and qualitative results such as: travel times, speed data, traffic volume, and traveler delay. The study develops a suite of performance monitoring tools both to assess the performance of instrumented freeways and the reliability of the surveillance system. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the given traffic monitoring system for practitioners, allowing them to optimize the system. In the course of this work we integrated information from many sources to meet multiple objectives for system management and monitoring.

 

Topic 13

Title: Upper MidWest Freight Corridor Study - Phase 2
State Job Number: 134263
Final Report,  March 2007 (5,566 KB)
Executive Summary, (55 KB)

Implementation Plan, (81 KB)

Growing travel, freight movements, congestion, and international competition threaten the economic well being of the Upper Midwest States. More Congestion, slower freight movement, fragmentation, and economic slow down are the probable outcomes if the threats are not addressed. However, planning for and managing the growth of freight transport are complex issues facing transportation agencies in the region. In an effort to crystallize the issues and generate thought and discussion, eleven white papers were written on important factors that influence freight and public policy. The papers provide the background on specific aspects of freight in the Upper Midwest. As a collection, the papers provide a primer on freight issues and related responses that may form the basis for a regional freight agenda. The Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Coalition used input from transportation administrators in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa, as well as the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, along with the Federal Highway Administration and researchers from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, the University of Illinois- Chicago, and the University of Toledo to draft an agenda to help meet the challenge of freight movement and economic vitality within the Upper Midwest. The agenda identifies thirteen priority initiatives to respond to growing freight demand. Data and technology are needed to support the initiatives outlined in the agenda, and both topics are discussed in subsequent plans. The final report in Volume II is a white paper explaining the importance of transportation to the economic well being of the region.