Fall 2012 (Vol. 51, No. 3)
Assessment of Sustainable Infrastructure: The Case of Exurban Dallas Abstract Construction of bypass lanes at rural intersections has typically been considered a low-cost highway safety improvement by the transportation community. However, this needs to be quantitatively evaluated so that the decisions could be made on whether to continue with adding bypass lanes. Highway safety analyses utilize two common […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.2)
Evaluating the Efficacy of Shared-use Vehicles for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A U.S. Case Study of Grocery Delivery Abstract This paper compares the CO2 emissions from the use of personal vehicles to shared-use vehicles for grocery shopping in Seattle, Washington. The research builds on existing literature by considering the importance of modeling the logistical details of routing […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.2)
A Comprehensive Rail Rate Index for Grain Abstract There are several annual rail rate indices commonly used to depict changes in the prices paid for rail service. While accurate for general analyses, each of these indices falls short in capturing the three major components of total railroad grain rates – tariff rates, fuel surcharges, and secondary railcar market […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.2)
Microsimulating Automobile Markets: Evolution of Vehicle Holdings and Vehicle Pricing Dynamics Abstract Vehicle ownership decisions are central to estimates of emissions, gas tax revenues, energy security, pavement management, and other concerns. This work combines an auction-style microsimulation of vehicle prices and random-utility-maximizing choices, producing a market model for the evolution of new and used personal-vehicle fleets. All available […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.2)
High Occupancy Toll Lane Performance Under Alternative Pricing Policies Abstract This paper explores how alternative pricing and operating policies influence revenue generation, level of service, and travel time costs for high occupancy toll (HOT) lane facilities. A framework for modeling HOT lanes is applied to a hypothetical facility. The analysis suggests that the way in which tolls are […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.1)
Methodology to Measure the Benefits and Costs of Rural Road Closure: A Kansas Case Study Abstract While rural roads are essential to state economies, increasing farm size and the corresponding increase in farm vehicle size coupled with declining rural population have stressed the rural road system. As county population declines the financial ability of counties to maintain […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.1)
Freight Distribution Systems with Cross-Docking: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Abstract Construction of bypass lanes at rural intersections has typically been considered a low-cost highway safety improvement by the transportation community. However, this needs to be quantitatively evaluated so that the decisions could be made on whether to continue with adding bypass lanes. Highway safety analyses utilize two common approaches […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.1)
Disappearance of American Wealth and Its Impact on Air Travel: An Empirical Investigation Abstract Recently, the Federal Reserve reported that U.S. households net worth dropped by $17 trillion, a stunning 26% loss from the peak of the cycle to the bottom. The precipitous drop in home and stock prices that continued through the first quarter of 2009 […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.1)
A Preliminary Investigation of Private Railcars in North America Abstract Construction of bypass lanes at rural intersections has typically been considered a low-cost highway safety improvement by the transportation community. However, this needs to be quantitatively evaluated so that the decisions could be made on whether to continue with adding bypass lanes. Highway safety analyses utilize two common […]
Spring 2012 (Vol.51, No.1)
Electrified Vehicle Technology Trends, Infrastructure Implications and Cost Comparisons Abstract Alternatives to petroleum-based fuels for transportation are sought to address concerns over climate change and energy security. Key semiconductor, software, and battery technologies have sufficiently progressed over the past few decades to enable a mass-market-viable plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) alternative. In this paper, the various […]
