OTREC NEWS

Light Rail Transit Course a Success

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 PST

We just wrapped up the two-day Light Rail Transit Facilities Design Course. 50 people came from all over the country (plus Canada and Spain) to attend the course. In addition to all of the local experts from TriMet and DEA who presented (agenda), both days featured field tours, lead by TriMet staff, of Portland's robust light rail system. On day one we ventured along the newly-opened transit mall (shared by buses, light rail, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians), and then took light rail up to the Oregon Zoo. On the way back, we hopped on the streetcar back to campus. On day two we visited the construction zone for the new streetcar line, then took a tour of Ruby Junction, TriMet's operations and maintenance facility. The field tours proved invaluable in supplementing the wide variety of material covered in the classroom. Plus, we were fortunate to have beautiful spring weather for the both days! We've shared some pictures on flickr. We were excited to partner with such a great team in putting this course together. Stay tuned for information on part two of OTREC's LRT series: Systems Design! It will take place in early '11.

OTREC Releases 2009 Annual Report and Fall Newsletter

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 PST

OTREC has released its latest newsletter as well as its 2008-2009 Annual Report. The Report's new format emphasizes achievements in each of the three theme areas: integration of transportation and land use, advanced technology, and healthy communities. There is also an Education section that presents OTREC's Outstanding Student of the Year, alumni highlights, the Visiting Scholars Program, and the student group activities on each of OTREC's four campuses. The Report includes an Executive Summary with a "Year in Review" and highlights from the 2009 Oregon Transportation Summit. In addition, OTREC has prepared a guide to TRB's 2010 Annual Meeting, listing the sessions and committees where OTREC faculty, students, and board members are involved.

Executive Committee Selects 2010-2011 Projects

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 PST

We are pleased to announce our proposal funding decisions for 2010-2011. OTREC received a total of 44 proposals with a request of $4,463,880 for consideration. On June 15th, 22 proposals were selected for funding by the OTREC Executive Committee. We are particularly excited about supporting three initiatives (the Sustainable Cities Initiative, the Oregon Modeling Collaborative, and the Transportation Electrification Initiative) that will help build research and education capacity across our partner institutions that will further our focus on transportation livability and sustainability. You can view the complete list of projects here: http://www.theotrec.org/main/projects.php?year=2011

OTREC is Hiring a Student Assistant!

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 PST

The Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC) at Portland State University is seeking a Student Assistant. This position supports the OTREC staff, and will be involved in a variety of tasks to ensure seamless daily functions at Portland State University. OTREC is a collaborative, multimodal, multidisciplinary, multicampus transportation center focusing on research, education, and technology transfer.
Pay rate: $12.50
Hours per week: ~15 hours as soon as possible
Contact: Send your resume to Hau Hagedorn ([email protected])
Responsibilities include:

Provide first point of contact for general inquiries and handling general correspondence.
Printing, copying, faxing, and scanning.
Sort and file documentation in an established system.
Assist with coordinating, scheduling and organizing receptions, workshops, outreach, promotional events and conferences including catering and travel arrangements.
Enter data and maintain central OTREC contacts database.
Keep office well organized and free of clutter including maintain inventory of equipment, ordering office supplies and make sure equipment is in good working order.
Format Word, Powerpoint and Excel documents, flyers, presentations, etc.
Distribute newsletters, annual reports, and other materials.
Help with project file system; need hard copy files for each project.
Help to manage file system for sample newsletters, annual reports, research reports, etc.
Assist in getting reports printed and filed in OTREC library and project file.
Save task orders on file and keep a log of task orders upon receipt.
Update and maintain contact database for emails, mailings, invitations (e.g. TRB reception), publicity, etc.
Help pull together OTREC performance measures.
Help make report covers, convert to PDFs, and upload to the Website and Lulu.com.
Perform other duties as assigned by the OTREC staff.

Preferred Qualifications: Enrolled as a student at Portland State University with interest in transportation research and education. The candidate should have strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral), flexibility, ability to mutli-task and willingness to work as part of a team. Experience with web editing, database management (Microsoft Access or other), and report editing is a plus. The candidate should be proficient in Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and be comfortable with e-mail, calendar programs, and web applications.

OTREC's Feedback to USDOT Strategic Research Direction

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

In January 2010, the USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration issued a request for public comment regarding their Strategic Research Direction, Research Priority Areas and Performance Metrics To Guide Departmental Strategic Plan for Research, Development and Technology Activities (2010�”2015). OTREC and our partners crafted a three part response that identified barriers and ways to research innovation, including:

Broadening federal match for University Transportation Centers (UTCs);
Embracing the cross-modal perspective on transportation;
Better tracking of how research is implemented; and
Increasing the role of national university transportation centers.
Making better linkages between research groups.

In regards to the key priorities, areas that could key areas could be emphasized and perhaps not fully captured in the key priorities as currently stated included:

Resiliency in the face of climate change & natural disasters;
Considering equity issues across all priorities; and
Recognizing active transportation as a mode.

To view the full OTREC memo, go to: http://theotrec.org/RefDocuments/RDT_OTREC_Final.pdf

Comparing Active Transportation Approaches in China and Europe

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

In the last of the livability seminar series, OTREC's visiting scholars program welcomed Shawn Turner from the Texas Transportation Institute. Shawn's research spans the gamut of intelligent transportation systems data to bicycle and pedestrian issues. Most recently, Shawn participated in the International Scan on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility. His presentation compared his experiences on the scan in Europe to those in China. During his presentation, he posed three challenges to Oregon:

How does active transportation contribute to economic development?
What is the tipping point for behavior and behavioral change?
Can vanity play a role in social acceptance?

His presentation was followed by a discussion with local agencies, faculty, students and partners along with a 10-mile tour of innovative bike infrastructure in Portland. Thank goodness the weather held up!

New Visions for Suburbia

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

Suburban multifamily housing makes up the fastest-growing housing market in the country. Townhouses, condos and apartment complexes bring density to suburbia. They are also often located close to commercial areas. For these reasons, they offer the potential for active transportation and mixed-use development. Yet this potential rarely becomes a reality. Professor Nico Larco’s OTREC project explores why inaccessible, disconnected forms of suburban multifamily development dominate. The project draws on interviews with architects, planners, developers, and property managers of developments in four states. It proposes ways in which current practices might shift in order to create more livable, less congested, and multi-modal suburban communities. To read the report in it's entirety go to: http://theotrec.org/project/152

University Students Design a New Bicycle Shelter for Their Community

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

designBridge is a student-based organization at the University of Oregon that exposes students to real architectural and planning projects in their community. The organization promotes students’ engagement in their community while providing them with professional experience that will benefit them in their careers. In this OTREC-funded education project, led by Professor Nico Larco, the students of designBridge undertook the design and construction of a new transportation shelter for Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, Oregon. The project results include not only the completion of the shelter but also the continued development of a service learning program that can effectively address small community transportation-related needs. To learn more about the project, down the final report at: http://theotrec.org/project/247

Examining Oregon’s Medically At-Risk Driver Program

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

Examining Oregon’s Medically At-Risk Driver Program Oregon is one of six states with mandatory physician reporting requirements for drivers with significant medical impairments. In 2003, the State revised its Medically At-Risk Driver program to cover a wider range of cognitive and functional impairments. Professor James Stratham’s project examined the new program. The ODOT/OTREC co-sponsored study involved two sections. First, the researchers performed an assessment of the safety risk posed by drivers whose licenses were suspended after the DMV received a physician’s report on their condition. The second part of the study involved interviews with program stakeholders, including primary care physicians, providers of driving assessment services, and program administrators. To read more about the project, download the report at: http://theotrec.org/project/80

Telling Oregon’s Transportation & Land Use Tales

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PST

To look at how buses, light rail, street cars, and bicycling have all become prominent modes in Portland, you need to trace back to important land use decisions made three decades ago. In 1974, Oregon adopted statewide land use planning goals. These goals shifted planning efforts away from freeway-building, toward investment in alternative forms of transportation. Since then, Oregon has been a leader in pushing back against car-centric landscapes and lifestyles. In this OTREC project, Professor Carl Abbott and Sam Lowry of Portland State University traced the history of land use planning in Oregon from 1890-1974. One of the project’s aims is to make transportation planning relevant and compelling to a broad audience. To do so, Abbott and Lowry gathered stories and information from a wide range of sources who enthusiastically shared their knowledge of transportation history. You can download the report to read more: http://theotrec.org/project/138

New Pavement Design Procedure Assessed

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

Tensile strain, or strain from heavy loads, causes pavement to crack. But innovations in pavement design aim to reduce such damage. Currently, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is in the process of adopting a new pavement design procedure. This involves examining data from existing pavement to predict how much cracking will likely occur in the new pavement. Analysts have already made predictions about how much tensile strain will occur in the new pavement using a procedure known as layered elastic analysis. Dr. Todd Scholz’s project gathered key data in order to assess the validity of these key predictions. Want to learn more? You can download the OTREC report at: http://theotrec.org/project/155

Does transportation to school affect families’ housing choices?

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Yizhao Yang’s OTREC project on understanding school travel examined the relationships between school transportation, neighborhood walkability, and where families choose to live. The study involved a 5,500-household survey of families with children attending selected public schools in Eugene, Oregon. In general, parents did consider school transportation in the process of deciding where to live. Unfortunately, housing opportunities around schools and in walkable communities are often limited. Dr. Yang’s project suggests a need for greater coordination between community land use planning and school planning. The study also points to the value of continuing to educate the community about safe and active transportation options to school. The final report can be downloaded at: http://theotrec.org/project/184.

Expanding Portland State’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Curriculum

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

This OTREC educational project took students at Portland State University beyond the lecture hall and the library. Dr. Lynn Weigand expanded the bicycle and pedestrian design curriculum at PSU by turning an existing three-credit course into a five-credit course with an applied lab. The new course gave students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they gained in class to real projects in their community. Working in teams, the students developed projects that focused on improving bicycle and pedestrian connections to the PSU campus. The course received excellent reviews from the students, and the department recognized the course’s value by offering it again the following year. The report can be downloaded at: http://theotrec.org/project/279
.

Rick Willson on Transit Oriented Development 2.0

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

As a part of OTREC's visiting scholars program, Professor Rick Willson from Cal Poly Pomona presented on the the next generation of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) on February 12. In a nutshell, TOD is "the intersection of good transit planning and good development planning." The initial implementation of TOD in California focused on vertical mixed development, fixed rail and property within a quarter mile. It was a good step in the right direction of creating more livable and sustainable communities. However, it had some shortcomings such as using cheap right of way, dispersed origin-destination, and counter incentives. New legislation in California and other states focused on vehicle-miles traveled greenhouse gas emissions reduction provides an opportunity to update TOD to use the lessons learned and improve on some shortcomings. If you missed Prof. Willson's recent seminar, you can view the streaming video and access presentation online. (Image Credit: Rick Willson)

FTA Perspective on Regional Implications of the Federal Livability Initiative

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 PST

Rick Krochalis, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region X Administrator, recently kicked off the Center for Transportation Seminar Series on January 8th with a presentation on the Regional Implications of the Federal Livability Initiative. The presentation touched on the federal interagency partnership in addition to FTA's involvement in the effort. Smart growth and transit-oriented development are not new concepts. With growing congestion, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, needs for maintaining a state of good repair on existing transportation systems in addition to a growing and aging and population in the United States; transit is playing a key role in helping address these issues.The seminar was followed with with a roundtable group discussion with TriMet and local partners; and meeting with faculty and students highlighting transit-related research. You can download the podcast or view the seminar if you missed the presentation. Livability is also the theme for the winter transportation seminar series.

Transportation Health Equity Seminar

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 PST

On January 28th, OTREC co-hosted a brown bag seminar on The Impacts and Opportunities for Building Healthy, Equitable Communities. Shireen Malekafzali, PolicyLink, was the guest speaker of the seminar. She discussed the impacts of transportation on health, the challenges with existing policy,and the opportunities for influencing new policy with transportation authorization on the federal agenda. Some of the recommendations for policy changes that better consider the impact of health equity include prioritizing and encouraging investments in public transprtation, pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure, and transit-oriented development. The Transportation Prescription: Bold New Ideas for Transportation Reform in America, a publication produced by PolicyLink and Prevention Instituted further explores the link between transportation, health and equity. The seminar was well-attended, with a standing room only crowd of folks that represented public, private, non-profit, and university partners in both health and transportation fields. The seminar followed on the heels of the on the recent publication of the book, Healthy, Equitable Transportation Policy: Recommendations and Research.

A Visit with Mike Quear

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 PST

OTREC participated in a research and technology funding discussion led by Mike Quear, congressional staffer. The visit consisted of two parts: a discussion with the Deans and faculty representing the major sciences at Portland State University; and a tour of the OTREC including highlighting collaborative research undertaken by the ITS Lab and electric vehicle initiatives being supported by OTREC. Mike Quear is Staff Director for the Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. He has worked for the Committee for the past 19 years. We always look forward to the thought provoking discussions that his visits provide.

OTREC Releases 2010 Request for Proposals!

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the posting of the 2010-2011 Request of Proposal (RFP). The total funding available under this RFP is approximately $2 million, and OTREC expects to fund as many high quality proposals as possible to support relevant work that relates to the theme and supports national transportation priorities, initiatives and needs. Please note some of the changes to the 2010-2011 RFP based on feedback and input from faculty, the OTREC Board of Advisors, and OTREC partners. The changes include the following:

1. OTREC is defining research emphasis areas that provide strategic research direction for the next year. These research areas are multimodal and the priorities are NOT at the exclusion of other thematic research areas, but proposals submitted that directly respond to these priority areas will rank higher among the diverse portfolio of proposals.

2. OTREC has reserved funding for initiatives. An initiative goes beyond a single project and can be a center, program, or laboratory that involves collaboration between more than one campus, more than one discipline, more than one agency, and more than one faculty member. See Section 5 of the RFP for details.

3. OTREC is accepting multi-year proposals for both projects and initiatives with a limit of 2 years. If selected, OTREC will fund the first year. Second year funding is contingent on congressional reauthorization, and currently cannot be guaranteed.

4. Abstracts are no longer required prior to submitting full proposals. To download the RFP, proposal and budget forms, please go to: http://theotrec.org/content/rfp2011.php.

Proposals are due 5:00 pm on April 9, 2010.

Dr. Figliozzi Selected to lead development of truck efficiency report

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 PST

Miguel Figliozzi, OTREC researcher, has been selected to chair a study group that will assist DEQ in developing a report, including recommendations for legislation regarding truck efficiency, reduced idling, and emissions. This report will be submitted to interim environment and natural resource committees of the Oregon Legislature by October 2010 for their consideration and any possible action during the 2011 legislative session. The 2009 Oregon Legislature adopted House Bill 2186, which directed DEQ to study potential requirements regarding the maintenance or retrofitting of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in order to reduce aerodynamic drag and otherwise reduce greenhouse gas emissions. DEQ also plans to study potential restrictions on engine use by parked commercial vehicles, including but not limited to medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Study group members will work with DEQ staff to report findings and recommendations for legislation to the interim legislative committees on environment and natural resources by October 1, 2010.

OTREC Releases 2009 Annual Report and Fall Newsletter

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC has released its latest newsletter as well as its 2008-2009 Annual Report. The Report’s new format emphasizes achievements in each of the three theme areas: integration of transportation and land use, advanced technology and healthy communities. There is also an Education section that presents OTREC’s Outstanding Student of the Year, alumni highlights, the Visiting Scholars Program, and the student group activities on each of OTREC’s four campuses. The Report includes an Executive Summary with a “Year in Review” and highlights from the 2009 Oregon Transportation Summit.

Climate Change Webinar

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST

Please join the Portland State University Intelligent Transportation Lab and the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium as we host a Transportation Research Board webinar on climate change mitigation and adaptation, followed by an informal discussion on climate change transportation impacts and planning in the Pacific Northwest. This webinar will explore the findings of Transportation Research Board Special Report 299: A Transportation Research Program for Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change and Conserving Energy. Committee chair, Michael Meyer, will provide an overview of the research programs recommended by the committee that can be used to develop guidance to policy makers. When: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 Where: Portland State University Intelligent Transportation System Lab 1930 SW 4th Ave, Room 315 Time: 11 am - 12:45 pm

ITS Lab Students and Faculty Active at National Urban Freight Conference • October 2009

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST

Portland State University faculty and students presented their work at the National Urban Freight Conference (NUFC) in Long Beach, CA October 21-23, 2009. Dr. Miguel Figliozzi presented “Emissions & Energy Minimization Vehicle Routing Problem” and “A Study of Transportation Disruption Causes and Cost in Containerized Maritime Transportation”. Also, graduate research assistants Ryan Conrad and Nikki Wheeler presented research projects sponsored by OTREC. Ryan presented “Algorithms and Methodologies to Analyze and Quantify the Impacts of Congestion on Urban Distribution Systems Using Real-world Urban Network Data”, and Nikki presented “Analysis of the Impacts of Congestion on Freight Movements in the Portland Metropolitan Area”. NUFC brings together researchers and practitioners in the public and private sectors from many disciplines within freight transportation. This conference is the only one of its kind in the US, and brought attendees and presenters from across the US, Canada and Europe.

Director Dill Goes to Washington

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC Director Jennifer Dill participated in the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) conference in Crystal City, Virginia from October 1-4, 2009. She moderated a session on Understanding the Motivations for Travel Choice: Public Transit, Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and Walking. She also made two presentations: Individualized Marketing Programs for TDM: Long-Term Effects and the Role of Psychological Theories and Land Use Policy Innovation: Jurisdictional Experiences in Adoption and Implementation. While in DC, she took the opportunity to meet with every office in the Oregon congressional delegation.

Oregon Transportation Summit a Success

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC hosted the first annual Oregon Transportation Summit. Over 200 transportation faculty, professionals, and students participated in the day long event to discuss relevant and pressing transportation research issues for Oregon. It was an opportunity to also show appreciation for partners and faculty that have helped to shape OTREC. Recipients of the inaugural Peter DeFazio Hall of Fame award included: Dick Feeney (Person of the Year), ODOT (Partner of the Year), and B. Starr McMullen (Researcher of the Year). The Oregon Transportation Summit was sponsored by the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC), the Portland chapter of WTS, the Oregon chapter of APA, and the Oregon section of ITE. Thank you to our partners and Mayor Sam Adams, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Congressman Peter DeFazio, Wim Wiewel, and Tom Vanderbilt for making this a memorable and successful event.

Shelley Row Visits OTREC

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Kristen Tufte led a debriefing of the PSU ITS Lab on August 26 for Shelley Row, ITS Joint Program Office Director. Students Huan Li (Detection of Bottleneck Activation Historically and in Real-Time), Alex Bigazzi ("Greening" PORTAL), Heba Wakiel (Developing Corridor-Level Truck Travel Time Estimates and Other Freight Performance Measures from Archived ITS Data), and Ryan Conrad (Algorithms and Methodologies to Analyze the Impacts of Congestion on Time-dependent Real-world Urban Networks) gave presentations on their OTREC-supported work. TransPort representatives Deena Platman (METRO), Dennis Mitchell (ODOT), and Jim Gelhar (City of Gresham) also provided an overview of their work. The debriefing was followed by a reception that was co-sponsored by WTS and OTREC.

OTREC Presence at National Rural ITS Conference

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC recently co-sponsored the National Rural Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Conference in Seaside, OR August 23-27. Prof. Roger Lindgren (OTREC Associate Director from OIT) presented his research Butte Creek Ice Detection and Advanced Warning System Evaluation. Prof. Andrew Nichols (OTREC affiliate faculty from Marshall University) presented Extracting Freight Corridor Performance from Weigh-In-Motion Data. Prof. Chris Monsere was the principal investigator on this project.

OTREC Affiliate Faculty and Students a Part of SRTS National Conference

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PST

The Second Safe Routes to School National Conference (SRTS) National Conference convened on August 19-21 in Portland, OR. Sylvan Cambier (UO student) presented a poster on designBridge - Student Led Community Design Build. Dr. Marc Schlossberg (OTREC Associate Director and UO Associate Professor) and Dr. Lynn Weigand, (Director of the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation and OTREC-Affiliate faculty) were part of the SRTS Steering Committee. SRTS research and activities relate to the intersection of OTREC's theme of healthy communities and integration of land use and transportation.

OTREC Director Appointed Deputy Administrator of RITA

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PST

Robert Bertini, OTREC Director, has been appointed to the post of Deputy Administrator for the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). He has left an indelible mark in Oregon from creating the Intelligent Transportation Systems Lab to launching the transportation seminar series at Portland State University. The ITS Lab currently supports 30 students and over $4.5 million of transportation research. Over 200 seminars have been offered to date. Most recently and significantly, he was paramount in establishing the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC). With his leadership and vision, the Consortium currently has funded over 100 research, education and technology transfer projects and supporting the work of over 80 faculty.
Rob was promoted to Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Urban Studies and Planning in 2008, and has been an incredible mentor to other faculty and students during his time at PSU. He is well respected internationally for his notable work on ITS, traffic flow theory, and transportation systems (to name a few). His tireless work, vision, leadership, and ability to inspire collaboration will surely be missed! See the story in the Oregonian, BikePortland.org, and Streetsblog DC. Professor Jennifer Dill will be the new OTREC Director starting mid-August. Photo credit: Kelly James for PSU

JPACT Visits OTREC

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC was pleased to brief members of the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation on August 3, 2009. Staff provided an members with an overview of the OTREC's research, education, and technology transfer programs. Students Nikki Wheeler and Nathan McNeil summarized their involvement in two projecs: "Investigation of Intersection Safety for Cyclists by Age and Gender" a "Evaluation of Bike Boxes at Signalized Intersections". Additional faculty participated by providing a summary of their research focus.

LaHood in Portland to Unveil First Streetcar Built in US in Nearly 60 Years

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PST

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood proclaims "Portland is the transportation capital of the United States..." as part of his speech unveiling the Portland-made streetcar, the first to be built in the US in nearly 60 years. OTREC staff were present to witness this historic moment for Portland, in addition to having the opportunity to meet and talk with other leaders in transportation from Oregon. Pictured left: Jon Makler, Lily Makler, Congressman Peter DeFazio, and Hau Hagedorn Pictured right: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood

OTREC Selected 20 New Projects for 2009-2010

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC has completed the proposal review process for its 2009-2010 funding cycle. OTREC received a total of 48 proposals with a request of $3.9 million for consideration. We would like to thank Michael Wolfe for managing the peer review process and to recognize the 110 peer reviewers who contributed to this important selection procedure. Twenty proposals were selected for funding by the OTREC Executive Committee at our meeting Monday afternoon. The complete list can be viewed here: http://www.theotrec.org/main/projects.php?year=2010
OTREC urges principal investigators to view the results of their peer reviews and OTREC comments for their proposal by logging into the OTREC proposal and project management system at: http://www.theotrec.org/main/login.php.
Those with proposals that were not selected but fit well with the OTREC theme of Advanced Technology, Integration of Land Use and Transportation, and Healthy Communities are engrouraged to strengthen their approach, linkage with transportation and consider resubmitting it for the 2010-2011 funding year.

PSU Students Win 2009 Oregon ITE Scholarships

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC would like to congratulate Josh Crain and Lisa Diercksen, winners of the 2009 Oregon ITE undergraduate and graduate scholarships, respectively. Josh, a native of Oregon, is earning a BS in Civil Engineering at Portland State University and developed an interest in transportation while flying as a Load Master on C-17A cargo aircraft in the Air Force. Lisa, who has a BSCE from Iowa State University, will graduate this month with an MSCE from Portland State. Lisa will also be inducted into the Denice Dee Denton Women Engineers Hall of Fame. Both Josh and Lisa have worked as research assistants in PSU’s ITS Lab. Pictured, left to right: Pam O’Brien (DKS Associates), Josh Crain, Lisa Diercksen, Chris Tiesler (Kittelson and Associates) and Bikram Raghubansh (Clackamas County).

Call for Best Practices in Context Sensitive Solutions

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST

The CSS National Dialog is currently seeking submissions of best practices in the application of Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) principles to transportation projects, programs and plans. Selected case studies will be presented at a series of one-day Workshops. Submissions are welcome from transportation agencies, planning agencies, communities and other organizations. To submit your transportation project, program or plan, visit the National Dialog Website. Submissions will be accepted until June 30, 2009. Submissions accepted in the following four categories: Implementation of CSS in Transportation Project Design and Construction, CSS in Transportation Planning, Context-Sensitive Programs for Project Delivery, and Organizational and Institutional Advancements for Systematic Implementation of CSS.

Prof. Monsere Represents OTREC at 2nd FHWA/UTC/RITA Workshop on ITS and Operations

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PST

Prof Monsere represented Portland State’s ITS Lab at the second conference on traffic management sponsored by FHWA, Office of Research and Development and USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). The workshop was designed to help coordinate and guide research at university transportation centers (UTCs). It featured presentations from Federal staff and university researchers in adaptive signal timing, microsimulation, traffic data, intelligent infrastructure and vehicles. Robust discussion identified potential collaboration and research areas. Prof. Monsere highlighted related research by OTREC faculty. The workshop concluded with a tour of the research laboratories at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, which hosted the conference.

Oregon Transportation Summit: September 2009

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC, in partnership with the Women’s Transportation Seminar Portland Chapter and Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association, is pleased to announce the 1st Annual Oregon Transportation Summit. The event, which will include professional development opportunities for academic and practicing transportation professionals, will be held on Friday, September 11 at Portland State University. Your input is desired to shape the agenda. Please complete a short online survey to rank or suggest topics for the training and workshop sessions. If you have any other questions, please email Jon Makler.

Visiting Scholar Peter Furth in Portland, 5/26-29

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 PST

Northeastern University’s Peter Furth is known equally for his research in public transportation, bike planning and traffic signals. Furth brings his diverse interests to Portland for the holiday-shortened week of May 25th. On Tuesday, 5/26, there will be a seminar on his traffic signal priority work and on Wednesday, 5/27, there will be another seminar on his work regarding cycle tracks. In addition, Furth will have a variety of meetings with local transportation practitioners, including a bike tour by staff from the Portland Bureau of Transportation. The visit is co-sponsored by OTREC and IBPI. For more information about the seminars, visit PSU’s Center for Transportation Studies.

UO's Marc Schlossberg featured in New York Times online debate

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 PST

Monday’s New York Times featured an article on the car-free city of Vauban, Germany. University of Oregon’s Marc Schlossberg was invited to contribute to the online “Room for Debate” discussion that followed. In his initial entry, Dr. Schlossberg emphasizes street connectivity and the need to eliminate parking minimums. There were over 400 comments in the first 24 hours, responding to the perspectives shared by Schlossberg and six others: Witold Rybczynski, D.J. Waldie, Dolores Hayden, Christopher Leinberger, Alex Marshall and J.H. Crawford. (Photo: Martin Specht for the New York Times)

OSU Transportation Students Tour Portland by Bike

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 PST

In mid-April, a group of Oregon State transportation students were led on a bike tour of Portland by alumnus Peter Koonce (Kittleson & Associates). Accompanied by one peer from Portland State, the group witnessed several design techniques that can be seen around the city: bike-only passages, left-turn lanes for bikes, traffic signals with a bike-only phase, special signage for bicyclist safety (bike boxes) and the innovative “beacon,” which is a special signal designed to regulate interactions between bikes, motor vehicles and pedestrians. According to Raul Avelar, president of OSU’s ITE Student Chapter, the tour had the right mix of fun and learning.

Texas A&M's Luca Quadrifoglio Presents PSU Seminar on Zoning and Paratransit

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Quadrifoglio is an Assistant Professor in the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering Professor at Texas A&M University. On Friday, May 8, 2009, Dr. Quadrifoglio presented "Zoning Strategy Effect in ADA paratransit services: A Simulation Study in Los Angeles, CA" for Portland State University’s Transportation Seminar Series. Dr. Quadrifoglio discussed paratransit demand responsive transit (DRT) complexity and routing strategies using a simulation model of the operations of DRT providers on a network based on data for DRT service in Los Angeles County . The appearance was made possible by OTREC’s Visiting Scholars Program. For more information on Dr.Quadrifoglio's research, visit his home page.

OTREC Congratulates PSU's Prof. Dill, WTS Portland's Woman of the Year

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC would like to congratulate PSU Professor Jennifer Dill for earning the 2009 Woman of the Year award from the WTS Portland Chapter. Professor Dill will being honored along with other award recipients at a banquet on May 14th. In addition to the award, Dill also had an article, “Bicycling for Transportation and Health: The Role of Infrastructure” published recently in the Journal of Public Health Policy.

Spring 2009 OTREC Newsletter Available Now!

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

The Spring 2009 issue of OTREC’s newsletter is now available, with news from students and faculty on all four OTREC campuses. The feature article examines UO Professor Nico Larco’s work on “sustainable suburbs.” Also included: highlights of recently completed research reports, an interview with OSU’s Jason Ideker, and updates from our student groups. Do you know what OIT is doing with the National Park Service? Did you hear how PSU’s Miller Grant is addressing sustainable transportation? Are you aware of the conferences and training opportunities that will be nearby this summer? Spend your next break with the OTREC Newsletter! Please email us if you would like a hard copy or to receive email notification of future issues.

PSU Students Win 2009 WTS Scholarships

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC would like to congratulate Heba Alwakiel and Mariah VanZerr for receiving the 2009 WTS Portland Scholarships. Ms. Alwakiel is a civil engineering student at PSU and is active in STEP, the Institute of Transportation Engineers and WTS. She will graduate in 2010 and plans to pursue a PhD. Ms. VanZerr will earn her Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from PSU this June and is currently a transportation planning intern at CH2M Hill. She is very active as a volunteer with several organizations, including WTS and SOLV. The WTS Annual Meeting will be held in Seattle, May 20-22, and OTREC’s Education Program will cover the costs for the scholarship winners to attend.

Visiting Prof. Brian Ladd Speaks at UO (4/29)

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Carroll Visiting Professor Brian Ladd presents “Transportation Planning and Automobile Dependence: Historical Reflections” on Wednesday, 4/29 at 2pm in Hendricks Hall at the University of Oregon. Sponsored by OTREC and UO’s Department of Public Policy, Planning and Management, Ladd’s talk will “try to make sense of a century of transportation planning.” Ladd is an independent historian who received his Ph.D. from Yale University. He has taught history at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a research associate in the history department at the University of Albany, State University of New York. He is the author of Autophobia: Love and Hate in the Automotive Age and The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape, also published by the University of Chicago Press.

OTREC Supports ITS Oregon and the 2009 National Rural ITS Conference

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to support the 2009 National Rural Intelligent Transportation Systems (NRITS) conference, which is being hosted by the Intelligent Transportation Society of Oregon (ITS Oregon) in Seaside, August 23-27. The conference promises to provide a variety of networking opportunities and time with vendors to help you develop in your professional career. Training will provide the transportation professional with cost effective professional development hours. The 2008 conference attracted approximately 300 participants from 36 states and four countries to Anchorage last September and ITS Oregon hopes that the location and season will make the 2009 edition an even greater success.

UO's Briana Orr honored with Civic Engagement Award for Bike Loan Program Leadership

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Briana Orr, UO undergraduate and co-founder of the University’s Bike Loan Program, is being recognized at the Oregon Civic Engagement Awards with the 2009 Faith Gabelnick Student Leadership Award. The awards reception is being held on Thursday, 4/23 in Portland. Ms. Orr is an environmental studies and Planning, Public Policy and Management major. From a story in the UO’s Daily Emerald, a few facts about the bike loan program: it was started in the fall of 2008 with about 70 unclaimed bikes in the Public Safety department’s impound storage. For a $65 refundable deposit, a student can check out a bike (lock, lights, fenders and basket included) for a term or an entire year. The award is being given by the Oregon chapter of Campus Compact, a national coalition of over 1,100 college and university presidents dedicated to promoting service-learning, civic engagement, and community service in higher education.

UC Irvine’s Scott Samuelsen Visits OTREC and Presents at PSU

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Samuelsen is a Professor in The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine and the Director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center. On Friday, April 10, 2009, Dr. Samuelsen presented on “Powering the Future of Transportation” for Portland State University’s Transportation Seminar Series. Dr. Samuelsen discussed the state of fuel cells, their applications and the nexus of transportation and electricity. The appearance was made possible by OTREC’s Visiting Scholars Program. For more information on Dr. Samuelsen's research, visit the home page of the Advanced Power and Energy Program at UC Irvine.

Bike Policy Pioneer Bill Wilkinson Delivers Keynote Address at UO HOPES Conference

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Bill Wilkinson, former director and founder of the National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NBCW), delivered the keynote address at the University of Oregon’s HOPES Conference. Wilkinson’s career in bicycle and pedestrian programs spans forty years, including the National Park Service, four years in the USDOT’s Office of the Secretary and 25 years with the NBCW. UO’s transportation student group, LiveMove, used OTREC funds to bring Mr. Wilkinson to the conference. OTREC also sponsored an event honoring Wilkinson’s donation to the University of his 35-year archive of bicycle and pedestrian materials , including about 1,000 bike maps from around the world.

OTREC Helps Spark Electric Vehicles in Oregon

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

PSU and OSU helped showcase the promise of electric vehicles in Oregon on Wednesday, April 8th by hosting Nissan’s EV-02 model on each campus. Nissan announced that it plans to launch the fully electric vehicle in Oregon in 2010. At PSU’s Urban Center, Angus Duncan (Chair of the Oregon Global Warming Commission), Joe Barra (Director of Customer Energy Resources for PGE), John MacArthur (Sustainable Transportation Program Manager for OTREC), and Tracy Woodard (Director of Government Affairs for Nissan-USA) briefed an audience of students, staff and faculty on the emergence of electric vehicles of Oregon. On OSU’s campus, University President Ed Ray “kicked the tires” and engineering students exhibited their own car design and construction projects, including the SAE Formula and Baja Teams and the Solar Vehicle team. Also, OSU faculty had an opportunity to brief Nissan representatives regarding their education and research programs that prepare talent and spin out technology for this new industry.

OTREC Supports Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce its support for the annual meeting of the American Planning Association’s Oregon Chapter (OAPA). The meeting, which will be held June 3-5, 2009 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, includes one day of mobile workshops (6/3) and two days of conference sessions (6/4-5). OTREC’s support focuses on the mobile workshops, which include transit tours, an examination of integrated transportation and land use, and sustainable urban design. Conference information, including registration, is available at www.oregonapa.org. Student registration is only $30 and early-bird rates last until 5/1.

OIT To Offer MSCE Degree

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

The State Board of Higher Education voted on April 3, 2009 to approve the Oregon Institute of Technology's proposal to offer a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE) degree. The degree will emphasize course offerings in structural and transportation engineering. This greatly enhances opportunities for students and working professionals in southern Oregon. The offering represents OIT's first graduate-level transportation degree and the ninth masters-level degree from the Consortium. OTREC will be an integral part of this new degree through a sharing of curricula among the member universities and through graduate student research opportunities. OTREC Associate Director Roger Lindgren has been appointed MSCE Program Director.

OTREC Seminar Examines Oregon’s Forthcoming Transportation Legislation

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

On Thursday, April 2, 2009, OTREC invited Olivia Clark (TriMet), Chris Hagerbaumer (Oregon Environmental Council) and Randy Tucker (Metro) to offer insights on the progress of transportation legislation in the 2009 session of the Oregon Legislature. The panelists noted that both substance and process are being heavily affected by the economic turmoil, including the stimulus packages. Some of the policy ideas that the panelists mentioned include: Least Cost Planning, increasing the minimum share of project costs to bike and pedestrian improvements, tolling authority for Multnomah County, creating a transportation utility commission, travel options programs, and, of course, various responses to revenue difficulties. Available online are the podcast and either streaming or downloadable webcast.

Univ. of Minnesota’s David Levinson Visits OTREC and Presents at PSU

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Levinson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota and Director of the Networks, Economics and Urban Systems (NEXUS) research group. On Friday, April 3, 2009, Dr. Levinson presented his research on “Transport, Land Use and Value” for Portland State University’s Transportation Seminar Series. Using Minneapolis and London as examples, Levinson discussed the feedback loops that enable value to be generated by development and transportation investments. Following the seminar, members of PSU’s transportation student group, STEP, several faculty members as well as partners from Metro, TriMet and ODOT joined Dr. Levinson for lunch. The appearance was made possible by OTREC’s Visiting Scholars Program. For more information on Levinson's research, visit the NEXUS home page

OTREC Livability Research Featured in RITA UTC Spotlight

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

The USDOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) released their March 2009 UTC Spotlight, featuring OTREC Livability related research, mostly focused on projects at the University of Oregon led by Marc Schlossberg, Nico Larco and Yizhao Yang. New Secretary of Transportation LaHood has specifically mentioned livability as one of his priorities so this is a very timely publication. OTREC looks forward to continuing to address critical transportation needs in sync with national priorities.

OTREC's Jon Makler Joins TRB's Technology Transfer Committee

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce that its Education and Technology Transfer Program Manager, Jon Makler, has been offered a 3-year term on the Transportation Research Board's Technology Transfer Committee. The committee is concerned with information exchange and research on the processes and methods for technology transfer, and assisting the Transportation Research Board and other TRB committees in their role as an agent for technology transfer. Jon is also a member of the Regional Transportation System Management and Operations Committee and was previously a member of the Transportation & Air Quality Committee.

OTREC Sponsors 50th Annual Transportation Research Forum in Portland, Oregon

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC helped sponsor the 50th Annual Forum of the Transportation Research Forum, held in Portland, Oregon March 16-18, 2009. OTREC faculty partner B. Starr McMullen of Oregon State University served as conference chair and OTREC sponsored the Keynote Speaker Daniel McFadden, 2000 Nobel Prize recipient in Economics, who presented "Sociality, Rationality and the Ecology of Choice." OTREC faculty member Miguel Figliozzi presented "A Study of Transportation Disruption Causes and Costs in Containerized Maritime Transportation," director Robert Bertini presented "Can Sensors Be Used to Provide Accurate Travel Time Information?," and chaired a session on "Transportation Measures: Which Ones and How Do We Measure Them?," PSU student Meead Saberi presented "Evaluating the Factors Affecting Student Travel Mode Choice," PSU student Alex Bigazzi presented a poster "Adding Sustainability Performance Measures to a Transportation Data Archive," PSU Student Meead Saberi presented a poster "Does Weather Affect Traffic Flow on Freeways?," Miguel Figliozzi presented a poster with Kristin Tufte, "Integration and Visualization Challenges and Opportunities for Online Freight Data Mapping," and PSU student Wei Feng presented a poster "Characteristics of Transitions in Freeway Traffic." Congratulations to Prof. McMullent, TRF and all participants for a successful conference!

Visiting Scholar: ZipCar Founder Robin Chase

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

Robin Chase, founder of ZipCar and CEO of GoLoco, traveled to Portland through OTREC's Visiting Scholars Program. Her visit included meetings with ODOT staff about their vehicle mileage fee initiative. On Friday, March 13th, Ms. Chase presented PSU's weekly Transportation Seminar. Her talk, entitled "How Sharing and Openness Should Play a Critical Role in Our Transportation Future," related her experiences with car sharing to combating climate change. The webcast is available to stream, download or as an MP3. Following the seminar, OTREC sponsored a luncheon for Ms. Chase. The photo (by Dave Brook), shows (from left to right): Randy Knapick, John MacArthur, Robin Chase, Ed McNamara, Jim Whitty, Gail Achterman, George Beard, Gil Kelley, Jon Makler, Brodie Hylton.

UO Students Win Major National Awards

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

University of Oregon's Sara Schooley was selected as one of 20 Eno Fellows, who are recognized as the nation's top graduate students in transportation. She will attend the Eno Leadership Development Conference in Washington, DC in May 2009, where she will get a first-hand look at how national transportation policies are developed. In addition, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) has recognized the Eugene Bicycle and Pedestrian Strategic Plan with its AICP Student Project Award for Contribution of Planning to a Contemporary Issue. The student team includes: Sarah Coates, Joy Gipson, Matt Peterson, Ray Neff, Ryan Ojerio, Andrea Sparks, and Tracy Rogan and was advised by Bethany Johnson, AICP and Robert Parker, AICP. Members of the team will receive the award at the American Planning Association's Annual Meeting in April. OTREC applauds these students for their achievements. Congratulations!

OTREC Board of Advisors Meets at PSU

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC's Board of Advisors convened at Portland State University on Thursday, March 5th. The Board is composed of 18 members from all sectors, representing public, private, academic, and non-profit organizations. The agenda on March 5th included the Consortium's progress in 2008, its prospects after SAFETEA-LU expires, and its role in supporting transportation professionals around the state. Shown in the picture (left to right and top to bottom): Dr. Robert Bertini, PSU; Bill Upton, Oregon Modeling Steering committee; Randy McCourt, DKS Associates; Neil MacFarlane, TriMet; Phil Ditzler, FHWA; Ruth Harshfield, Oregon Alliance for Community Traffic Safety; Susie Lahsene, Port of Portland; Lavinia Gordon, Portland Bureau of Transportation; Rob Inerfeld, City of Eugene; Mike Hoglund, Metro; Tom Schwetz, Lane Transit District.

Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation publishes Winter Newsletter

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 PST

The Initiative for Bicycle & Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI) has published it's Winter Newsletter. This issues includes updates on IBPI's activities including the 2009 safe routes to school conference, upcoming workshops and the Trails Capstone Course as well as findings from the Portland Safe Routes to School Evaluation and results from the National Survey of Bicycle and Pedestrian Curriculum Report. For more information please visit IBPI's website.

University of Oregon's LiveMove Transportation Student Group Active in Bicycle Appreciation Days

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 PST

LiveMove, the transportation student group at the University of Oregon co-sponsored Bicycle Appreciation Days in Eugene in late February. The weather was lousy but, as this video from the Daily Emerald shows, the students are doing a great job! OTREC is pleased to sponsor student groups on each of its four campuses.

OTREC Students and Faculty Active at Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC students and faculty were active at the Transportation Research Board's 88th Annual Meeting, held in Washington, D.C., January 11-15, 2009. For details of specific sessions where OTREC partner university students and faculty participated you can follow these links: Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Portland State University. Congratulations to all participants!

Jon Makler Joins the OTREC Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the hiring of Jon Makler, AICP as the new Education and Technology Transfer Program Manager. Jon's role will involve disseminating OTREC research to professionals throughout Oregon and beyond. Jon is well known in the Portland region for his work on transportation operations with the City of Portland and Metro. Before moving to Oregon from Massachusetts in 2005, Jon worked as a transportation consultant with a diverse portfolio, including metropolitan planning, intelligent transportation systems, and environmental justice. Prior to that, Jon was affiliated with the Region 1 University Transportation Center, first as a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.S., 2000), and later as a research project manager at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Jon's research focused on the integration of transportation and environmental policies and was based on case studies of Mexico City as well as major US cities such as Atlanta, Houston, Chicago and San Francisco. Jon earned his B.A. from Swarthmore College near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was born and raised. Jon's family lives in Northeast Portland.

John MacArthur Joins the OTREC Team

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce that it has hired John MacArthur as the Sustainable Transportation Program Manager. John's role will be to develop, direct and manage the strategic direction for OTREC’s climate and sustainable transportation initiatives. He will also be active in research related to sustainable transportation, particularly in the areas of alternative vehicles, the relationship between transportation and public health, performance measurement, material evaluation, and decision making. Before joining the OTREC staff, John was the Context Sensitive and Sustainable Solutions Program Manager for the OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program. John has worked for 15 years in the environmental and sustainability field. He earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University and his M.S. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He is excited about this new position, and looks forward to working with all of the Consortium members.

2009-2010 OTREC RFP Now Posted

OTREC is pleased to announce the posting of the 2009-2010 Request of Proposal (RFP). The total funding available under this RFP is approximately $2 million, and OTREC expects to fund as many high quality proposals as possible to support relevant work that relates to the theme and supports national transportation priorities, initiatives and needs. Due to the nature of our federal funding, project timeframes proposed should be for one year, and should generate measurable results in that time. All OTREC awards require a minimum of 100% match from non-federal sources. Please remember that it is critical that you obtain match commitment as part of putting together your proposal. To download the RFP, proposal and budget forms, please go to: http://theotrec.org/content/rfp2010.php. To submit your abstract, please go to: http://theotrec.org/rfp/2010_rfp_form1.php. Abstracts are due 5:00 PM February 20, 2009. OTREC will only accept full proposals for abstracts that are submitted by the deadline. Full proposals are due 5:00 pm on March 20, 2009.

OTREC Awarded Miller Grant for Transportation Sustainability Roadmap Project

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST

The Miller award will provide OTREC with the funding to develop a Transportation Sustainability Roadmap for Oregon. This roadmap will guide research, education and partnership initiatives, establishing the foundation for creating sustainable transportation research, education, and community engagement activities. The project will build momentum on a number of efforts currently underway including OTREC's participation in the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) workshop for transportation professionals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and involvement in the development of the Best Practices Manual for a “Clean, Green and Smart” West Coast transportation corridor system and other national efforts through the U.S. Department of Transportation. This project will leverage the expertise of staff and partner faculty researchers in order to develop a more focused approach to sustainable transportation.

OTREC Awarded Miller Grant for Transportation Sustainability Roadmap Project

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST

Region X Transportation Consortium Hosts Reception at Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST

The Region X Transportation Consortium hosted a reception at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board. The consortium is made up of the University Transportation Centers and Departments of Transportation in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Oregon. The annual reception provides an opportunity for transportation professionals, educators and students to visit with colleagues from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. For the first time, the UTC Students of the Year (SOY) were introduced. Shown at left are AUTC Director Billy Connor, TransNow SOY Kari Watkins, NIATT Director of the Center for Clean Vehicle Technology Karen Den Braven, TransNow Director Nancy Nihan, NIATT SOY Nicholas Harker, OTREC Director Robert L. Bertini, and OTREC SOY Christo Brehm.

OTREC Seeking Research Teams

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST

The Region X Consortium will soon release a request for proposal in response to one of the following research problem statements relating to: Gathering Low ADT Highway Storm Water Quality Data; or Climate Change Impact Assessment for Surface Transportation in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. OTREC is hoping to assemble a research team involving our university partners and potentially those in any of the Region X states. The total funding for the project is approximately $200,000. The RFP is expected to be released early 2009. Only universities from the four member UTCs in the Northwest are eligible to respond. If you have expertise in one of the following areas and would like to be involved or lead a research team, please contact me at [email protected].

OTREC Co-Sponsoring National Rural ITS Conference in Seaside, OR

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 PST

OTREC will be co-sponsoring the National Rural Intelligent Transportation Systems conference in Seaside, OR; August 23-27, 2009. The Call for Abstracts has been issued. To submit an abstract for presentation, go to: http://www.nritsconference.org, then click on Programs. Authors can also email abstracts to [email protected]. Emails must include all of the following: Abstract title, Lead author contact information (name, organization, address, phone & fax numbers, and email), Supporting author(s) name(s) and email addresses (if any), Topic area, and Abstract text (500 word maximum).

Zachary Horowitz wins Neville A. Parker Award

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST

Zachary Horowitz’s M.S. project report, “Freight Railroad Capacity Alternatives in the Pacific Northwest: An Analysis of Class I Cooperation in the Columbia River Gorge” won the Neville A. Parker Award for Outstanding Non-thesis Master's Degree Paper in Policy and Planning from the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC). He is the first student from the state of Oregon to win a CUTC award. His project, conducted under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Monsere, examined the impact of freight railroad traffic volumes in the Pacific Northwest, which are rapidly increasing toward capacity. Using OpenTrack, a railroad simulation software application developed at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich, he explored the potential benefits of a directional operating strategy in which the two railroad companies, BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, would combine their track and communication infrastructure. The results of the simulation model showed that the cooperative directional operating strategy has the potential to substantially increase capacity in the Columbia River corridor. Mr. Horowitz completed a M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Portland State University in 2007. While at PSU, he studied traffic capacity analysis on Oregon highway 217 and presented his original research at TRB, ITE, and TransNow conferences. He also took on a number of student leadership roles, including co-organizing the 2006 TransNow student conference and serving as fundraising coordinator for the 2005 ITE District 6 Annual Meeting. Mr. Horowitz now works for David Evans and Associates as a transportation planner on the Columbia River Crossing project. Mr. Horowitz is a member of the Sears Armory Citizen Advisory Committee and previously served as the Chairman of the Multnomah Neighborhood Association. He lives in SW Portland with his wife, Sonya, and one-year old daughter Avital.

OTREC Publishes Fifth Newsletter

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the fifth issue of OTREC News. Issues of OTREC News include reports on our research projects, profiles of students and faculty, introductions to our Executive Committee and Advisory Board, updates on education programs and events, reports of partner university transportation news, and examples of exciting collaboration within our Consortium. This issue includes several special features describing ongoing research projects, OTREC's 2008-2009 Students of the Year and much more. We welcome your feedback on our publications! Please contact us if you would like a paper copy.

2007-2008 OTREC Annual Report Issued

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to present our 2007-2008 Annual Report. This publication is a summary of transportation research, education and technology transfer activities of OTREC for October 1, 2007 �“ September 30, 2008. If you would like a paper copy, please contact us.

OTREC Faculty and Students Active at 15th World Congress on ITS

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC students and faculty were active participants in the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems, held in New York City, November 16-20, 2008. Lisa Diercksen, an MS student at PSU presented "A Second Look at the Effectiveness of the Myrtle Creek Dynamic Advanced Curve Warning System;" Jerzy Wieczorek, an MS student in Statistics at PSU presented "Using Archived ITS Data to Automatically Identify Freeway Bottlenecks in Portland, Oregon;" Rafael J. Fernandez-Moctezuma, a Ph.D. student in computer science at PSU presented "Developing an Imputation Strategy for an Archived Data User Service in Portland, Oregon;" Galen McGill of the Oregon Department of Transportation presented "Accuracy in Real-Time Estimation of Travel Time," co-authored with PSU Prof. Kristin Tufte. Prof. Robert Bertini of PSU also presented: "Empirical Evaluation of Adaptive Ramp Metering Along Two Freeway Corridors in Portland, Oregon;" and "Toward Transport Payment Integration in Portland, Oregon." Prof. David Porter and Prof. David Kim, of the OSU Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering also attended the Congress. The World Congress is sponsored by ITS AMerica, ERTICO-ITS Europe and ITS Japan.

OTREC Faculty Partners Featured in 2008 PSU Research Brochure

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

Portland State University is committed to supporting research that is both regionally focused and globally relevant. This fall PSU has published a brochure featuring some of its exemplary research including OTREC sponsored projects by faculty partners Madeleine Pullman and Jennifer Dill. Dr. Pullman’s research addresses the logistical issues raised by the rising demand for locally produced foods. She has studied supply chain success stories like that of Country Natural Beef, a cooperative family business committed to environmental responsibility, as well as other enterprises that have been slower to adopt such values, in order to better understand the impediments to change. Dr. Dill’s research team has given GPS devices to bicycle commuters and collected rider surveys in order to collect data about the routes cyclists take, gender differences in riding and other information that can help cities better understand cyclists’ infrastructure needs. This regionally aimed research creates universal models of environmental responsibility and sustainability from which other cities can benefit.

OTREC Partner Institution Students Participate in the Sixth Annual Region X Student Conference

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

The Sixth Annual Region X Student Conference was held on November 7, 2008 in Seattle Washington. Twenty students from PSU, fifteen from University of Washington, eight from OSU, five from University of Idaho, three from UO and one from Reed College participated in this conference. Of the ten student presentations given at the conference six were from OTREC Partner Institutions PSU, UO and OSU! Student presenters included Tim Brass (UO) on Using Mobile GIS for Assessing Accessibility of Pedestrian Facilities / OU Bike Loan Program Raul Avelar (OSU) on Low-cost Data Collection and Estimation of Roundabout Traffic Volumes, Wei Feng (PSU) on Transition Features Near a Freeway Congestion, Alex Bigazzi (PSU) on Adding Sustainability Performance Measures to a Transportation Data Archive and Meead Saberi Kalaee (PSU) on Evaluation the Data Accuracy of Loop Detectors in Adaptive Signal Control Systems.

Building Future Leadership Seminar Proceedings Available

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

The proceedings from January 2008 OTREC Sponsored Building Future Leadership Seminar are now available.

This unique workshop aimed at sharing knowledge with future leaders in transportation attracted over 100 transportation professionals from regional public and private agencies. Guest speakers and panel members from TriMet, Metro, David Evans and Associates, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, and the City of Portland shared their passion for the Portland transit story with those who will be developing the transportation systems of tomorrow.

OTREC Announces Christo Brehm 2008 Transportation Student of the Year

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST

Christo Brehm, University of Oregon, is currently pursuing a concurrent graduate degree in Community and Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Oregon. He holds an undergraduate degree in Planning, Public Policy and Management and has spent many years working in the field of affordable housing. While a University of Oregon student, Christo has designed one of the nation’s first assessment tools of the emerging “Complete Streets” concept. He has traveled across the country (MD, VA, and MN) leading community assessment workshops using this Complete Streets tool that works within a mobile GIS environment. Christo co-authored a paper for the 2009 TRB national conference and has presented his work at the national Pro Bike / Pro Walk conference. He has been asked by leaders in two Oregon state agencies to describe and share his work with smaller Oregon communities and is a founding member and director of a campuswide, interdisciplinary transportation and livability student group at the University of Oregon called LiveMove. During this time, Christo has worked with Dr. Marc Schlossberg and has been a truly exceptional student researcher and leader. Congratulations Christo!

Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation publishes 2007-2008 Annual Report

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 PST

The Initiative for Bicycle & Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI) has published it's 2007-2008 Annual Report. IBPI is an exciting new center for research and learning that is focused on bicycle and pedestrian travel. IBPI’s goal is to advance bicycling and walking as integral elements of the transportation system in Oregon’s communities. It's programs include research, education, and information-sharing across sectors, interests, and institutions that will enhance policies, programs, and projects focused on promoting bicycle and pedestrian transportation. Portland State University’s Center for Transportation Studies houses IBPI. The initiative also draws on the resources of its partner institutions at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University and is funded by OTREC and PSU.

University of Oregon designBridge program recognized for achievement in sustainability

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 PST

The Sustainable Endowments Institute has chosen to honor the University of Oregon's OTREC supported designBridge program as a Champion of Sustainability in Communities. UO's designBridge program, a student-run organization that offers environmentally friendly, community-based design-build services to the local area, was named as one of four honorable mentions. designBridge utilizes resources from the UO School of Architecture and Allied Arts, other campus departments and Eugene/Springfield community businesses to work on a variety of service projects, including a seedling greenhouse for Northwest Youth Corps and a bike shelter for Edison Elementary School in Eugene. Assistant Professor of Architecture Nico Larco currently supervises students Drew Hastings (project manager), Nick Wallace, Kent Wu, Truc Bui and Vito Cerelli on the project. Last fall students Patrick Hannah (project manager), J. Ho Lee, Kelley Stewart, Lucas Gray and Paul McBride worked on the designBridge project.

Dr. Larco (left) is pictured standing in a renewed and re-invigorated bicycle parking area at Edison Elementary school in Eugene. designBridge worked with kids, parents, and school administrators to completely re-design this area over the course of the last year. So far this year, bike ridership has doubled and the kids and parents are loving the design work that Nico's students have done.

OTREC Partner Institution Meeting at Oregon State University

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC staff, PSU’s research and sponsored projects (pre-award), and researching accounting (post-award) staff traveled to Corvallis on October 1, 2008 to meet with our institutional partners at Oregon State University. Faculty members spoke about the progress of their research and education projects. OSU administrators provided additional suggestions for streamlining our processes. OSU’s staff received presentations and updates from OTREC's Program Manager Hau Hagedorn, Director Robert Bertini and Tina Frost finished with a review of the master subcontract. Thank you to our OSU colleagues for hosting this productive meeting!

OTREC Partner Institution Meeting at University of Oregon

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC staff, accompanied by PSU’s research and sponsored projects (pre-award) and research accounting (post-award) staff, traveled to Eugene on September 24, 2008 for a productive meeting with our institutional partners at the University of Oregon. Key UO faculty members provided updates on their research and education projects, and UO departmental and campus-wide administrators provided feedback on the past three RFP rounds and suggestions for further streamlining our processes. Research Program Manager Hau Hagedorn provided the group with information regarding project status updates. Director Robert Bertini reviewed some of the lessons we at OTREC have learned over our past two years of operation as well as looking forward to some of our future plans. Tina Frost wrapped up the presentation by speaking about the master subcontract. We appreciated the opportunity to visit our UO colleagues!

Melissa Tooley Visits OTREC

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC was pleased to welcome Dr. Melissa S. Tooley, Director of the University Transportation Center for Mobility at Texas A&M University to Portland on September 18, 2008. We appreciated the opportunity to hear more about UTCM and compare notes on research, education and technology transfer accomplishments.

Prof. Tony Rufolo Accepts Visiting Scholar Position at USDOT Office of the Secretary

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST

Prof. Anthony M. Rufolo, an OTREC faculty member in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning at Portland State University has accepted a position as a Visiting Scholar at the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Secretary during a portion of the 2008-09 academic year. We look forward to hearing about this fascinating experience and important partnership between OTREC and USDOT.

OTREC Faculty Active at TRB 11th National Conference on Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC co-sponsored and faculty were active participants in the Transportation Research Board's 11th National Conference on Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities, held in Portland September 17-19, 2008 under the auspices of TRB Committee ADA30, Transportation Planning for Small and Medium Sized Communities. OTREC Advisory Board member Tom Schwetz was the conference chair. Also, Prof. Yizhao Yang, University of Oregon, presented Where to Live and How to Get to School: Connecting Residential Location Choice and School Travel; Prof. Marc Schlossberg, University of Oregon, presented Livable Communities, Public Involvement, & Participatory GIS: Computer Assessment Tools for Local Area Analysis; and Prof. Nico Larco, University of Oregon presented Fringe Density: Planning Tips for Overlooked Density in Suburbia. Also Prof. Bertini had the honor to introduce the conference keynote speaker, Sharon Wood Wortman.

OTREC is Part of the PSU Special Umbrella Tour

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST

It was nothing but sunny skies during PSU President Wim Wiewel's special Umbrella Tour visit to OTREC and the ITS Lab. Rob Bertini and a number of transportation faculty member briefed the contingent on alternative transportation and traffic control. The participants included: Angela Abel, University Communications; Jeff Austin, Alumni Board President; David Bragdon, Metro Council President; Scott Burns, Geology Professor; Lloyd Daggett, Student Ambassador; Robert Mercer, Faculty Senate President; John Petersen, Foundation Board President; President Wim Wiewel, Portland State University; and Jennifer Williams, University Communications.

Gail Achterman Visits with OTREC

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PST

Rob Bertini and Hau Hagedorn met with Gail Achterman, Director of the OSU Institute for Natural Resources and Chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission, to provide updates on OTREC and to discuss future research opportunities and partnerships to move towards transportation mobility services. Some view mobility services as a vital piece of transportation sustainability equation.

PSU President Wim Wiewel Stops by OTREC for a Brief Visit

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

PSU President Wim Wiewel accompanied by the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean, Dick Knight, stopped by to tour the ITS Lab and visit with OTREC staff and ITS Lab students. President Wim Wiewel started his first day at PSU this past Monday with a bike ride to campus. Pictured from left to right: (back row) Sandeep Puppala, Alex Bigazzi, Melissa Leventhal, Dean Dick Knight, Michael Wolfe, Dr. Robert Bertini (front row) Ocean Ou, Carol Wallace, Dr. Kristin Tufte and President Wim Wiewel.

ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

STEP members attended the 2008 ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit in Anaheim, California. Students were able to interact with professionals from all over the country and learn about case studies that were divided into four categories; traffic engineering and design, safety, planning, management and operations, and conversation circles. Members also went on a special tour of the toll lanes on California State Route 91. This congestion priced road is one of the country’s few roads that generate enough revenue to fully pay all of its expenses. Dr. Christopher Monsere presented on the National Transportation Education Conference at the Current Practice in Professional Education and Training session. STEP also won the Student Chapter Web Site Award. STEP members also had the opportunity in the evenings to enjoy nearby Downtown Disneyland and Newport Beach. STEP would like to thank SALP and OTREC for their funding support. The picture on the left shows (from left to right) Dr. Christopher Monsere, Chengyu Dai, Rolando Melgoza, Huan Li, Alex Bigazzi, Lisa Diercksen, and Leah Tomlinson. (Written by Rolando Melgoza)

Blumenauer Staff Meet with OTREC and IBPI

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

On August 21, Katie Dennan and Ante Vulin, from Congressman Earl Blumenauer's office, visited with OTREC and IBPI staff to learn more about the Consortium and the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Institute. Mary Rae Moller, Dr. Robert Bertini, Dr. Jennifer Dill, Dr. Lynn Weigand, and Hau Hagedorn participated in the discussion with Congressman Blumenauer's legislative assistants.

OTREC-Sponsored Faculty Present at NATMEC

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

Drs. Christopher Monsere and Miguel Figliozzi made four presentations at at the North American Travel Monitoring Exhibition & Conference (NATMEC) in Washington D.C., August 6-8, 2008. Professor Monsere presented "Toward Incorporating Arterial Performance Quality in the PORTAL Archived Data User Service," "Building a WIM Data Archive for Improved Modeling, Design, and Rating" and "Techniques for Establishing and Measuring Data Quality in an Archived Data User Service." Co-authors included R.L. Bertini, K. Tufte, A. Nichols, M. Berkow and M. Wolfe. Professor Figliozzi presented "Linking Freight Planning and Real-Time Traffic Data to Monitor Freight Performance Measures," which was co-authored with K. Tufte.

Oregon Young Scholars Program Holds Transportation-Oriented Charette

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

On August 15th, over 30 high school youth from Oregon participated in design charette concluding the OTREC-sponsored Oregon Young Scholars Program. The young scholars were presented with a design problem earlier in the week and worked with their perspective cohorts (business, public health, planning and design, art and science) to educate themselves about the issue. The problem looked at the West Eugene Corridor as the next place to pursue bus rapid transit. Alternatives were identified, and the young scholars were charged with determining where the route should go. The charette included involvement from the young scholars and professionals from the Lane Transit District and the City of Eugene explore solutions to the design problem. On Saturday, the students gave a formal presentation to their parents and the City based on the results of the charette.

OTREC Hosts Professional Development Course on Geometric Design

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC was pleased to host a two day course on Geometric Design: Contemporary Considerations of Traditional Elements, taught by Brian Ray and Julia Knudsen, of Kittelson & Associates, June 3-4, 2008. Professionals from around the Northwest participated in the highly interactive course. This is part of OTREC's ongoing effort to provide relevant and affordable training and education opportunities for working professionals.

OTREC Hosts Professional Development Course on Traffic Signal Design

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC was pleased to host a two day course on Traffic Signal Design, taught by Charles Radosta, John Ringert and Hermanus Steyn, of Kittelson & Associates, June 23-24, 2008. Professionals from around the Northwest participated in the highly interactive course. This is part of OTREC's ongoing effort to provide relevant and affordable training and education opportunities for working professionals.

OTREC Hosts Congressman Wu Staff Visit

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC welcomed staff members Kris Pratt (Legislative Director) and Nils Tilstrom (Legislative Assistant) from Congressman David Wu's office on August 12. Kris and Nils met with Robert Bertini, Hau Hagedorn, and Mary Rae Moller (PSU Federal Relations Associate) for an overview of OTREC and Consortium progress updates.

OTREC Publishes Fourth Newsletter

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the fourth issue of OTREC News. Issues of OTREC News include reports on our research projects, profiles of students and faculty, introductions to our Executive Committee and Advisory Board, updates on education programs and events, reports of partner university transportation news, and examples of exciting collaboration within our Consortium. This issue includes several special features including a spotlight on the OTREC-ODOT co-sponsored vehicle mileage fee project, overview of projects selected for 2008-2009, and a discussion on climate-friendly transportation research and much more. We welcome your feedback on our publications! Read the newsletter here: Newsletter Summer 2008.

OTREC Staff Participate in UTC Annual Meeting and CUTC Summer Meeting

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC staff Carol Wallace, Hau Hagedorn and Robert Bertini participated in the RITA UTC Annual Meeting and the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) Summer Meeting hosted by the Mineta Institute at San Jose State University in San Jose, California, June 26-28, 2008. Bertini moderated a session on workforce challenges that included examples of what UTCs are doing to address the challenge through training and education. Staff met with RITA University Programs Specialist Robin Kline (left) and RITA Administrator Paul Brubaker (right).

House Committee on Science and Technology Invites Bertini to Testify on Sustainable Energy Efficient Transportation Infrastructure

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation invited Prof. Bertini to provide testimony before the subcommittee on June 24, 2008. Subcommittee Chairman David Wu (D-OR) called the hearing to review ongoing research and development related to surface transportation infrastructure. Other panelists included RITA Administrator Paul Brubaker, Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Randell Iwasaki, American Concrete Pavement Association President Gerald Voigt, and Dr. Christopher Poe from the Texas Transportation Institute. Detailed testimony and other information can be found on the committee website. Bertini's written testimony can be found here and the archived video of the entire hearing can be found here (Bertini's portion begins at 25:48). Additional photos: one two three

Figliozzi Receives Best Paper Award

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Miguel Figliozzi, PSU, participated in the 10th International Conference on Applications of Advanced Technologies in Transportation (AATT), held in Athens, Greece in May. Dr. Figliozzi presented a peer reviewed paper, "An Iterative Route Construction and Improvement Algorithm for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Soft and Hard Time Windows," which was selected from over 600 entries for the conference Best Paper Award in the transportation planning category. The paper appears in the conference proceedings. Figliozzi also chaired session "INTER-4" during the conference. Congratulations to Dr. Figliozzi (pictured with conference chairs Matthew Karlaftis and Samer Madanat)!

Jennifer Dill Receives PSU Award

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

Congratulations to Jennifer Dill! Dr. Dill received a Civic Engagement Award from the Center for Academic Excellence at Portland State University this spring. The award is for her work to create the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), a collaborative partnership between the Center for Transportation Studies at PSU, the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at UO, and the College of Engineering at OSU. Dr. Dill was honored in an awards ceremony in late May. More about IBPI here: IBPI.

Jennifer Dill Gives Congressional Briefing

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

On May 15, 2008, Jennifer Dill, Associate Professor in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning and Director of the Center for Transportation Studies at Portland State University, participated in a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. The briefing was sponsored by the Congressional Bike Caucus and the Active Living Research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on Biking Your Way to a Healthier Community. The Congressional Bike Caucus is chaired by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR) and Congressman Tom Petri (WI). Dr. Dill described her ongoing research of regional bike trips, tracked by GPS-equipped bicyclists. She notes that preliminary analysis shows that half of the bicycle riding happened on roads with bike lanes, off-street paths, or bicycle boulevards. She also briefly discussed policy implications and further research needs. Read Dr. Dill's briefing here: Briefing.

OTREC Selects Third Year Projects

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PST

On June 9, 2008, the OTREC Executive Committee selected the top 28 research, education and technology transfer projects for 2008-2009 funding. Forty-nine proposals requesting over $3 million were received in March, and each proposal went through a rigorous peer review process. Peer-reviewers ranked the proposals on the basis of intellectual merit, broader impacts, relevance to OTREC’s theme and the national transportation research agenda. All projects involve transportation faculty and students at one or more of OTREC's partner campuses, and many involve multiple faculty and collaborations across disciplines. Most projects include at least one external matching partner. The list of 2008-2009 projects, including abstracts, can be found here: 2008-2009 Projects

OTREC Publishes Third Newsletter

Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the third issue of OTREC News. Issues of OTREC News include reports on our research projects, profiles of students and faculty, introductions to our Executive Committee and Advisory Board, updates on education programs and events, reports of partner university transportation news, and examples of exciting collaboration within our Consortium. This issue includes several special features describing ongoing research projects, the Region X Student Conference and much more. We welcome your feedback on our publications! Read the newsletter here: Newsletter Spring 2008.

OTREC Publishes Second Newsletter

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the second issue of OTREC News. Issues of OTREC News include reports on our research projects, profiles of students and faculty, introductions to our Executive Committee and Advisory Board, updates on education programs and events, reports of partner university transportation news, and examples of exciting collaboration within our Consortium. This issue includes a special feature describing the strong relationship between OTREC and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Read the newsletter here: Newsletter Fall 2007.

OTREC Participates in Region X Transportation Consortium Meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC was an active participant in the Region X Transportation Consortium meeting hosted by the Alaska University Transportation Center (AUTC) at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Hau Hagedorn, Chris Higgins, Barnie Jones and Robert Bertini were the Oregon delegation participating in the event. Meeting participants (at left) toured the Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility that is part of the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Shown at right is the Oregon group, standing in front of a 30,000 year old ice lens.

OTREC Hosts Professional Development Course on Roundabout Design and Analysis

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC was pleased to host a two day course on Roundabout Design Analysis, taught by Brian Ray and Wade Scarborough, of Kittelson & Associates, May 7-8, 2008. Professionals from around the Northwest (and Canada!) participated in the highly interactive course. This is part of OTREC's ongoing effort to provide relevant and affordable training and education opportunities for working professionals.

RITA Administrator Brubaker Visits OTREC

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 PST

On May 1, 2008, USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) Administrator Paul Brubaker and Thomas Marchessault, UTC Outreach Liaison for RITA, spent the day visiting OTREC. Mr. Brubaker and Mr. Marchessault were given an overview of OTREC’s web proposal and project management system, and participated in faculty project “spotlight” demonstrations, and a special poster session with students. In the afternoon, Matthew Garrett, Director of the Oregon Department of Transportation, and Administrator Brubaker gave remarks on the future of transportation technology to an audience that included the OTREC Board of Advisors, Executive Committee, faculty, students and community transportation leaders at an OTREC reception. PSU graduate student Lisa Diercksen introduced the guests and spoke about her experience as a research assistant and OTREC Scholar. Administrator Brubaker spoke about the need for an interdisciplinary approach to transportation problems of the future, as evident in the multidisciplinary nature of OTREC programs that bring together faculty and students from civil engineering, urban studies and planning, public policy, architecture, business, computer science, environmental science, etc.

Proposals for 2008-2009 Received

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST

Proposals for 2008-2009 transportation research, education and technology transfer projects were due on March 14, 2008. OTREC received 50 proposals with a total request of over $3 million. Over half the proposals involve collaboration between two or more researchers, and around 14% involve collaboration between two or more campuses. This underscores OTREC’s focus on collaboration and multidisciplinary initiatives. Proposals will now go through a rigorous peer-review process, with projects in total of around $2 million to be selected this summer.

OTREC Welcomes Carol Wallace

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST

Carol Wallace joined OTREC as the Fiscal Operations Coordinator in March, and we are happy to add her experience to our team! Carol has a BS in Accounting from Portland State University. She worked for ten years at Oregon State University in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences as a grant and contract fiscal coordinator for the college and as the fiscal manager for CIOSS, a cooperative institute funded by NOAA. At OSU, Carol had oversight for over 300 grants and contracts totaling more than $28 million. She was on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and the board of the Women’s Center. Carol is looking forward to working with everyone at OTREC and learning more about a new area of research �“ transportation.

Bertini Receives Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award at PSU

Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 PST

OTREC Director and PSU Professor Robert L. Bertini received the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award at PSU Salutes on May 10, 2007. PSU Salutes, the university's annual awards recognition event, celebrates the outstanding achievements of alumni, faculty, and friends of Portland State University. The award recognizes Dr. Bertini's excellence in teaching and research, and dedication to the University and community. Prof. Bertini was honored to have several ITS Lab alumni and students in attendance, including Monica Leal, Edward Anderson, Aaron Myton, Michael Rose, Steve Hansen, Shazia Malik, Sirisha Kothuri and Lynn Peterson. Dr. Bertini dedicated the award to his students and thanked the members of his family who attended.

OTREC Offers Free Podcasts of Visiting Scholar Lectures

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST

The Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC) now offers free podcasts (audio files in mp3 format) of the Portland State University Transportation Seminar Series. As part of their technology transfer program, podcasts from seminars given by OTREC Visiting Scholars and others are now available for download. Covering a wide array of transportation topics from policy and planning to operations and freight, recent speakers include Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Brian Taylor (UCLA), John Pucher (Rutgers University), Peter Stopher (University of Sydney), Susan Handy (UC Davis), Joseph Sussman (MIT), and Donald Shoup (UCLA). In addition, nearly 200 PSU seminars are available anywhere in the world as streaming video and downloadable video files: CTS seminars.

Schlossberg Receives Faculty Excellence Award

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 PST

Marc Schlossberg, Associate Professor in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon (UO), was a recipient of a Fund for Faculty Excellence Award in December. This award honors faculty members performing at the forefront of their areas of research at the UO. Dr. Schlossberg is an OTREC Associate Director and Executive Committee member, and principal investigator on a project studying “active transportation, neighborhood planning and participatory GIS.” Congratulations, Marc!

OTREC Faculty Active at NW Transportation Conference

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST

Faculty from all four OTREC partner campuses participated in the 2008 Northwest Transportation Conference at Oregon State University February 5-7. Under the theme of “Making the Most of What We Have: Innovations for the 21st Century,” faculty served as session moderators and as roundtable members for a variety of topics. Portland State University attendees included Jennifer Dill, Peter Dusicka, Miguel Figliozzi, Hau Hagedorn, Chris Monsere, Tony Rufolo, Kristin Tufte and Brent Zenobia. University of Oregon faculty attending were Nico Larco, Marc Schlossberg and Yizhao Yang. Faculty from Oregon State University included Karen Dixon, Chris Higgins, Starr McMullen, Todd Scholz, Michael Scott and Lei Zhang. OTREC Associate Director Roger Lindgren from the Oregon Institute of Technology also attended. More information about the conference and program sessions: NWTC.

Region X MOU Signed

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST

In November 2007, a formal Memorandum of Understanding was initiated between the University Transportation Centers and state DOTs in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Oregon, officially forming the Region X Transportation Consortium. The purpose of the consortium is to facilitate collaboration on transportation research and education projects of mutual interest amongst the consortium members and other transportation-related institutions in Region X. The MOU was signed by the final party on January 16, 2008. The MOU can be viewed here: Region X MOU. Find out more about the Region X Consortium: Region X.

Visit by Congressman David Wu's Staff Members

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC and the PSU ITS Lab welcomed a visit by staff members from Congressman David Wu's office on February 1. Staff members Ramona Perrault (Portland), Joan Whiting (DC), Randy Broz (DC) and Rachel Jagoda-Brunette (DC-Science Committee Staff) toured the ITS Lab and met with professors Robert Bertini, Chris Monsere, Miguel Figliozzi, and several students to discuss ongoing projects, progress and prospects for the future.

OTREC Sponsors "Building Future Transportation Leadership Workshop"

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST

On January 24th, 2008, more than 100 professionals from regional public and private agencies attended a unique workshop at PSU aimed at sharing knowledge with future leaders in transportation. Guest speakers and panel members from TriMet, Metro, David Evans and Associates, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, and the City of Portland shared their passion for the Portland transit story with those who will be developing the transportation systems of tomorrow. They led sessions and participated in panel discussions about success factors from Portland, a city recognized nationally for its transportation system and ability to catalyze community participation and secure funding for successful transit projects. The speakers explored the connection between land use and transportation planning, shared the “art of the deal” in building communities that work towards a common purpose, described how agency stakeholders can be brought together to prioritize transit needs, and discussed how to work with the FTA. Participants even heard a few stories from behind the scenes about strategies and plans that didn’t turn out as expected, and what could be done differently in the next generation of transportation projects. A reception hosted by David Evans and Associates was held at the end of the day. This inaugural workshop was targeted to local planners and transportation professionals, but may be offered again to a more broad audience in 2010. Thank you to our co-sponsors: David Evans and Associates, Metro, ZGF & TriMet. *A video archive of the presentations will be available soon at: Workshop website.

OTREC Participation in TRB 87th Annual Meeting

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST

Oregon was well-represented at the Transportation Research Board’s 87th Annual Meeting, January 13-17, 2008 in Washington, D.C. More than 15 faculty participated and presented research in numerous poster sessions and workshops and served as presiding officers for various sessions, committees and subcommittees. In addition, we are pleased that more than 20 students also attended, many of them presenting research work in poster and regular sessions. OTREC staff attended the annual meeting of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC), and the 2007 OTREC Student of the Year, Oren Eshel, was recognized at the CUTC banquet. In addition, OTREC and the Region X UTCs (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington) hosted a reception at the beginning of the conference week. A summary of OTREC faculty and student participation can be found here: TRB 2008.

Request for Proposals 2008-2009

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC has announced its 2008-2009 Request for Proposals (RFP) for transportation research, education and technology transfer projects. The total funding available under this RFP is approximately $2.8 million, and OTREC expects to fund as many high quality proposals as possible from a variety of disciplines. Proposals should be for relevant work that relates to the OTREC theme and supports national transportation priorities. Proposals must be from faculty members at PSU, UO, OSU or OIT, but faculty investigators are encouraged to work with other academic or agency partners. Non-federal match of 1:1 is required. Abstracts are due 5:00 PM February 15, 2008. Full proposals are due 5:00 pm on March 14, 2008. More information: 2008-2009 RFP.

2006-2007 OTREC Annual Report Issued

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to present our first Annual Report: 2006-2007 Annual Report. This publication is a summary of transportation research, education and technology transfer activities of OTREC for December 1, 2006 �“ September 30, 2007. If you would like a paper copy, please contact us.

Allison Dane from Congressman DeFazio's Office Visits OTREC and ITS Lab

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST

Allison Dane, staff member from Congressman Peter DeFazio's office, who specializes in work with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, visited Portland State University in August for an update on transportation research conducted in the ITS Lab, at PSU and within the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC). PSU faculty, including Professors Bertini, Dusicka, Smith, Tufte and Maier discussed their ongoing research efforts. Prof. Higgins from OSU, and Betsy Boyd from UO, plus OTREC staff (Hau Hagedorn, Jenny Kincaid and Rie Anderson) also participated in the meeting.

2007 Student of the Year Selected

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST

Congratulations to Oren Eshel, OTREC’s 2007 Student of the Year! Oren’s interest in regional planning techniques drew him to Portland, where is he is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning graduate student at Portland State University. Oren embarked upon graduate study to focus on public transit, equity in provision of transit services, and regional planning. Oren is a research assistant in the Intelligent Transportation Systems Lab at PSU, and is working on a project to evaluate an adaptive ramp metering system in the Portland region. He is also an intern with the City of Portland's Transportation Planning section. Oren was nominated by faculty for this award not only because he excels at research and in the classroom, but because he has made a significant mark on the multidisciplinary transportation program at PSU. Oren is President of the PSU transportation student group and ITE chapter (STEP) and coordinated the Fall 2007 Transportation Northwest District 10 Student Conference, which attracted over 70 students from across the region.

Visiting Scholar: Brian Taylor, UCLA

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Brian Taylor, Professor in Urban Planning and Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA, was the guest speaker and OTREC Visiting Scholar for the CTS Transportation Seminar on November 16, 2007. Dr. Taylor presented “Transit's Dirty Little Secret: Analyzing Patterns of Transit Use.” Later in the day, he was also the keynote speaker at the fall TransNow Student Conference at PSU, presenting “Rethinking Congestion” to the group of students from around the northwest. Professor Taylor's research centers around transportation policy and planning. In particular, his work explores how society pays for transportation systems and how these systems in turn serve the needs of people who have low levels of mobility.

2007 TransNow Student Conference at PSU

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST

Over 60 students from eight universities around the northwest visited PSU on November 16 to participate in a transportation research conference organized by and for students. Following a welcome breakfast, a panel consisting of representatives from TriMet, CH2M Hill, Port of Portland and Kittelson & Associates discussed "big picture" transportation issues with students. Ten students gave presentations about research or practice, and many of the students presented posters. The conference concluded with a keynote address from Professor Brian Taylor from UCLA on the topic of "Rethinking Congestion." Many of the students who arrived the evening before also participated in the Oregon Section ITE Traffic Bowl at McMenamins Edgefield. Thank you to graduate student Oren Eshel, who led the conference organization and did an outstanding job.

OIT Traffic Engineering Laboratory Gains Dedicated Space

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST

The OIT Traffic Engineering Laboratory in Cornett Hall formally started up in September 2007. The Lab is a combination research and education space and now occupies designated space. Previously, traffic simulation and other traffic engineering activities were accomplished in a mixed-use civil engineering lab. The new lab consists of five new Dell computer workstations equipped with state-of-the-practice traffic simulation and evaluation software. A "hardware in the loop" traffic simulator was purchased and will be commissioned in late 2007. Dr. Roger Lindgren received a grant from OTREC that will allow for the remainder of the computers, software and peripherals to be purchased for this rural community campus. The primary users of the Traffic Lab are students enrolled in a senior elective traffic engineering course. The first research project to use the new facilities is the OIT-PSU Collaborative Project, "Evaluation of OR140 Ice Warning System" under an ITS Partnership agreement with ODOT.

First RITA Site Visit

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST

OTREC welcomed Robin Kline, Amy Stearns and Lydia Mercado from the USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) on November 5. They met with OTREC staff, university leadership and the OTREC Executive Committee. A poster session and reception was held in the afternoon, where RITA staff heard from faculty principal investigators and students who are working on OTREC projects. Members of the OTREC Board of Advisors also met the RITA representatives. RITA oversees the University Transportation Center program, through which OTREC receives federal funding.

Board of Advisors Named and First Meeting Held

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the formation of its Board of Advisors, as outlined in the OTREC Strategic Plan. The Board consists of representatives from public agencies (including FHWA, FTA, ODOT, TriMet, Port, etc.), private industry and transportation-related interest groups. The role of the BOA is to help develop OTREC’s foundation and provide guidance on OTREC’s overall mission. The Board will help with long-range planning and direction, identify priority research topics, review annual report and goals, serve as a connection to key agency partners and provide statewide, multimodal, public/private perspectives on research, education and outreach. A complete list of members can be found here.

Visitors from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Robert Bertini and OTREC faculty and staff hosted guests from Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. on October 31. Nobuo Okubo, Senior Advisor to the Board (Technology), Ryogo Takagi, Manager of Technology Planning and Assistant to Mr. Okubo, and Hayato Akizuki, Director, Technology Planning, were given a tour of Portland transit systems and met with leaders from TriMet, the City of Portland, and Metro. They also toured the ITS Lab at PSU, and had lunch with faculty and community representatives who talked about the history of Portland’s transportation systems. They were welcomed to PSU by Interim President Michael Reardon and Vice Provost for Research William Feyerherm. They ended the day with a ride on the Portland Streetcar and Portland Aerial Tram.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer Presents Seminar

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST

Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer was the guest speaker at the weekly Transportation Seminar on Friday, Oct. 26, 2007. His presentation, "Transportation Infrastructure Investment: Past, Present and Future," focused on the anniversaries of the 1808 and 1908 national transportation plans and the next transportation reauthorization bill. His presentation was hosted by the PSU Center for Transportation Studies and the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium.

Visiting Scholar: Peter Stopher, University of Sydney

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 PST

Dr. Peter Stopher, Professor of Transport Planning at the University of Sydney, was the OTREC visiting scholar at the CTS Seminar on May 18, 2007. Dr. Stopher’s teaching and research is in transport policy and planning, survey methods, travel demand modeling, and environmental analysis, and he is pioneering the use of GPS devices in transport surveys. Current research has focused on using personal GPS devices to collect travel behavior data of individuals. Dr. Stopher’s seminar, “Using a GPS Panel to Evaluate Travel Behavior Changes,” described projects that have been conducted and are currently underway using GPS. He described survey procedures and provided an overview of early results from data collection. The seminar was followed by a luncheon with faculty, students and members of the Oregon Modeling Steering Committee (OMSC).

Hagedorn Joins OTREC as Research Program Manager

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:00:00 PST

Hau Hagedorn has been appointed OTREC’s Research Program Manager. Hau is working to build strong collaborative relationships among OTREC faculty, researchers, students, and staff at the four partner campuses, developing relationships with government and industry partners, and overseeing the peer-reviewed Request for Proposal process and research reporting. Prior to this role, she spent over nine years working in the private and public sector on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) initiatives. Her work at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) primarily focused on coordinating and implementing an operations management system. The intent of the system was to assist ODOT in better understanding the impacts and benefits of operations-based approaches within the agency. Previous work at Castle Rock Consultants focused primarily on advanced traveler information systems, road weather information systems, and ITS planning. She has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota, is an active member of ITS Oregon, and was the state chapter president in 2006.

Rie Anderson Joins OTREC

Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 PST

Rie Anderson has been hired as OTREC’s Fiscal Operations Coordinator. Rie will manage the fiscal aspects of OTREC activities by tracking both grant and match expenditures, reviewing sub-award budgets, and communicating with department grant administrators and other universities on fiscal requirements. Rie is a Certified Public Accountant with eight years of experience in fiscal-related work both in public and private sectors. She earned a B.A. in International Relations from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies and a Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting from Portland State University. She is a lifetime member of Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society, and most recently worked at PSU as the grant coordinator in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Region X Fall Meeting in Seattle

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PST

The Region X Consortium held its fall meeting in Seattle on October 15-16. Representatives from UTCs (OTREC, AUTC, TransNow, NIATT) and state DOTs (ODOT, WSDOT, ITD) attended the bi-annual meeting to discuss regional collaboration for transportation research and education efforts. Agenda items included further discussion of a Region X Memorandum of Understanding that would allow for pooled-funds with which the Consortium will sponsor major research projects from a regional needs perspective. TransNow hosted the meeting and led discussions on freight, infrastructure, and traffic operation research. Hau Hagedorn gave an OTREC update and faculty participants from Oregon included Chris Monsere and Peter Dusicka from PSU and Chris Higgins and Karen Dixon from OSU.

CUTC Annual Meeting

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:00:00 PST

Prof. Robert L. Bertini attended the 2006 Summer CUTC Meeting in Big Sky, Montana, June 21-23. The meeting was hosted by the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University-Bozeman. The meeting offered new UTC directors and other personnel the opportunity to learn more about the UTC program, and to participate in CUTC planning and discuss major functional components of the UTC/CUTC program.

UTC Plenary Session

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:00:00 PST

Prof. Robert Bertini attended the University Transportation Center Plenary Session in Washington, D.C. in April 2006. This two-day plenary session provided general information about where current and prospective UTC Program participants could receive information and engaged participants in general discussion about the broad research, development and technology goals of USDOT. Participants also learned about UTC Program goals and requirements under SAFETEA-LU, and heard about UTC grant preparation, approval, administration, oversight and “best practices.”

Region X Fall Meeting at PSU

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:00:00 PST

OTREC hosted the fall 2006 meeting of the Northwest Universities Transportation Consortium (Region X) on the Portland State University campus. Region X meetings include representatives from UTCs and state transportation departments in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. Participants discuss regional collaboration for transportation research and education efforts. FHWA Oregon Administrator David Cox gave the welcoming remarks, and the agenda included reports from UTC and State DOT directors, and a discussion of a student awards and conference. Breakout sessions for collaborative working groups included topics of simulation, freight, infrastructure and environment; faculty from several universities participated with UTC and DOT staff. Agenda and Participants

Proposals for 2007-2008 Received

Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 PST

Proposals for 2007-2008 transportation research, education and technology transfer projects were due on May 25, 2007. OTREC received 82 proposals with a total request of $5.1M. There were 48 unique proposers, 42 proposals with multiple PIs, and 13 were multi-campus. OTREC is pleased to see the diversity of disciplines and collaboration between universities and with external partners. As governed by the OTREC Strategic Plan, all proposals will be peer reviewed by at least three expert reviewers, including one federal representative. Awards will be announced in the fall.

First Proposals Received

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST

Proposals for 2006-2007 transportation research, education and technology transfer projects were due on January 12, 2007. OTREC received 54 proposals with a total request of $2.6M. There were 38 unique proposers, 30 proposals with multiple PIs, and 10 were multi-campus. The diversity of the proposals displays impressive breadth of discipline and demonstrates great collaboration between universities and with external partners. As governed by the OTREC Strategic Plan, all proposals will be peer reviewed by at least three expert reviewers, including one federal representative. Awards will be announced in the spring.

Congressman Peter DeFazio Celebrates $16M UTC in Oregon

Wed, 03 Aug 2005 00:00:00 PST

Portland State University hosted a celebration with Congressman Peter DeFazio on August 3, 2005 to mark a $16M investment in transportation programs in Oregon. Congressman DeFazio led the Oregon delegation in securing funding for PSU's University Transportation Center in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The legislation represents the largest surface transportation investment in the Nation’s history. The Center at PSU will be a partnership between PSU, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and the Oregon Institute of Technology. The celebration included remarks by the Congressman and Portland State University President Daniel O. Bernstine.

OTREC Established as National University Transportation Center

Wed, 10 Aug 2005 00:00:00 PST

On August 10, 2005 the President signed the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). SAFETEA-LU authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for 2005-2009. Within SAFETEA-LU, University Transportation Centers are authorized, and through this legislation a National University Transportation Center was created at Portland State University (PSU). Later named the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC), the Center is a partnership between PSU, the University of Oregon (UO), Oregon State University (OSU) and the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT). OTREC was granted $16 million over five years and will focus funding on activities that support its theme of advanced technologies, integration of land use and transportation and healthy communities. OTREC is dedicated to stimulating and conducting collaborative multi-disciplinary research on multi-modal surface transportation issues, educating a diverse array of current practitioners and future leaders in the transportation field and encouraging implementation of research results.

First Newsletter Issued

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:00:00 PST

OTREC is pleased to announce the inaugural issue of OTREC News. Issues of OTREC News will include reports on our research projects, profiles of students and faculty, introductions to our Executive Committee and Advisory Board, updates on education programs and events, reports of partner university transportation news, and examples of exciting collaboration within our Consortium. Read the newsletter here: Newsletter Spring 2007

OTREC Participation in TRB 86th Annual Meeting

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST

Oregon was well-represented at the Transportation Research Board’s 86th Annual Meeting in January 2007. Faculty participated and presented research in numerous poster sessions and workshops and served as presiding officers for various sessions, committees and subcommittees. Many students also attended and presented research work in poster sessions; seven students were partially sponsored by the OTREC education program. OTREC staff attended the annual meeting of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) where Director Robert Bertini presented Improving Collaboration in the Northwest. The OTREC Student of the Year, Max Coffman, was recognized at the CUTC banquet. In addition, OTREC hosted its own reception at the beginning of the conference week. A list of OTREC faculty and student participation can be found here: TRB 2007

Visiting Scholar: “Car-Free” John Pucher

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST

Professor John Pucher, a car-less commuter from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, was the first fall OTREC Visiting Scholar and CTS Seminar guest on September 28, 2007. His presentation, “Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from Europe,” was standing room only, and the audience enjoyed his photos of bike-friendly features in cities across Europe. Dr. Pucher examined a range of public health impacts of our urban transport systems and argued that the current car dependence of American cities is responsible for enormous environmental harm, social isolation, lack of physical activity, and traffic dangers. He described how improving the convenience, safety, and attractiveness of walking and cycling in crucial to overcoming these negative impacts. Dr. Pucher discussed specific policies and programs used in Europe, and advocates their widespread adoption in American cities. A lively discussion with faculty, students and members of the Portland Bicycle Master Plan Committee followed the seminar.

TRB Highway Safety Manual Mid-Year Meeting

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:00:00 PST

Prof. Monsere, PSU and Prof. Dixon, OSU, participated in the mid-year meeting for the TRB Task Force for the Highway Safety Manual, ANB25T, on August 20-22, 2007. The meeting included presentations, working sessions, sub-committee work, and social events at the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering's Beckman Center on the University of California Irvine campus.

Region X Spring Meeting

Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 PST

Prof. Bertini and Hau Hagedorn attended the Northwest Universities Transportation Consortium (Region X) May meeting in Moscow, ID. Region X meetings include representatives from UTCs and state transportation departments in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. Participants discuss regional collaboration for transportation research and education efforts. On the agenda was the creation a pooled-fund research study, for which a regional RFP would be issued each year. DOTs would identify the research needs. Education initiatives were also topics, including possible creation of a pilot distance education course that could be offered and coordinated between the Region X universities.

Visiting Scholar: Susan Handy on Bicycling in Davis, CA

Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 PST

In early May, OTREC hosted a visit by Dr. Susan Handy from the Sustainable Transportation Center at the University of California Davis. Dr. Handy’s research focuses on the connections between land use and transportation, and she is well known for her work on the impact of neighborhood design on travel behavior. Dr. Handy presented, “Bicycling in Davis, CA: A Critical Look at Policy and Behavior in the First Platinum Bicycle City in the U.S.” at the CTS Transportation Seminar. The seminar was followed by a luncheon discussion with faculty, students and members of the Portland Platinum Advisory Committee. While at PSU, Dr. Handy was also a guest speaker at the weekly Environmental Sciences and Resources Seminar.

Bertini Joins TransNow Advisory Committee

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST

Prof. Robert Bertini has joined the Transportation Northwest (TransNow) Advisory Committee, effective January 2007. TransNow is the Region X University Transportation Center, established in 1988 as one of the original 10 regional UTCs administered by the USDOT. Bertini has served as a PI on several past TransNow projects, has provided peer reviews on previous TransNow proposals and final reports, and also works with TransNow as a partner in the Northwest University Transportation Consortium.

Kincaid Hired as First Staff Member

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:00:00 PST

Jenny Kincaid joined OTREC in October 2006 after nine years as the Executive Assistant in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at PSU. Ms. Kincaid had various budgetary, personnel, outreach and communication responsibilities in CEE. As OTREC’s Communication and Education Coordinator, Jenny is coordinating and developing all communication, publications and outreach materials, including newsletters, brochures and annual reports. She is coordinating OTREC outreach and technology transfer programs, managing the web site, and collecting performance data for RITA. Jenny is originally from Illinois, and has a B.A. in English from the University of Chicago.

Visiting Scholar: ITS Expert Joseph Sussman

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST

Professor Joseph Sussman, JR East Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Systems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was the CTS seminar guest speaker and OTREC Visiting Scholar on March 9, 2007. Dr. Sussman has been instrumental in developing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the US, and is the author of several books on the subject. Dr. Sussman met with engineering faculty to discuss OpenCourseWare, MIT’s large-scale, web-based publication of course materials, and trends in civil engineering education. The PSU Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning (STEP) Group hosted an interactive discussion with Professor Sussman which was followed by his seminar, Where Transportation in Going: Transportation in the CLIOS System Era. CLIOS is short for “Complex, Large-Scale, Interconnected, Open, Socio-technical Systems,” and his presentation illustrated how complex transportation issues can be. After the seminar, ITS Oregon hosted a lunch in the ITS Lab for Dr. Sussman, ITS Oregon members, faculty and students.

Visiting Scholar: Donald Shoup and the “High Cost of Free Parking”

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:00:00 PST

Donald Shoup, Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA, was a guest speaker and OTREC Visiting Scholar in February 2007. During his visit to Portland, Professor Shoup spoke to 130 members of the Lloyd District Transportation Management Association (TMA), and was the speaker at a WTS breakfast round table. Shoup’s presentation at the CTS Seminar, "The High Cost of Free Parking," drew interested questions and comments from the audience. Shoup presented his thoughts on parking issues in our country, showing aerial photos of gigantic parking lots that do little to enhance communities, giving examples of on-street/off-street parking discrepancies in northwest Portland and explaining how “free” parking is not really free to anyone, including businesses, consumers and drivers. He noted that planning requirements for minimum parking can be arbitrary and contrary to the best urban design practices, and showed how smart parking pricing can benefit communities and those of us trying to find a parking spot.

Visiting Scholar: “Commuting in America” Author Pisarski

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:00:00 PST

Alan Pisarski, author of "Commuting in America III," visited PSU in October 2006 as part of the OTREC Visiting Scholar Program. Pisarski is a transportation expert known for his major studies of American commuting patterns. During his visit, he spoke at a Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) breakfast meeting, visited with students in the PSU ITS Lab, and was the guest speaker for the weekly CTS Transportation Seminar. Pisarski summarized changes and trends in commuting patterns in the United States and noted such statistics as lengthening average daily commutes, (many are more than 90 minute or “extreme” commutes), increase in carpooling and transit use, shifts in city to suburb vs. suburb to city commuters and increase in numbers of people working at home. Pisarski’s research shows that transportation is influenced significantly by economic and social phenomena.

PSU Students Attend TransNow Student Conference

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST

In early March, six PSU students in the Masters of Urban and Regional Planning and Masters of Civil and Environmental Engineering programs attended the TransNow Student Conference in Boise, Idaho. The conference was hosted by students at the University of Idaho. Students gave presentations of completed or current work, listened to presentations by the Idaho Department of Transportation, Washington Department of Transportation, and ITS America. There was also time to get to know the approximately 20 other students who attended. Portland State University students would like to commend the University of Idaho on a great job in planning the conference. Participating students were Delia Chi, Ujwalkiran Dharnikota, Laurie Miskimins, Nicole Prehoda, Sandeep Puppala and Benjamin Zielke.

OTREC Selects Second Year Projects

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 PST

On September 7, 2007, the OTREC Executive Committee selected the top 36 research, education and technology transfer projects for 2007-2008 funding. Over 80 proposals requesting over $5.1M were received in May, and each proposal went through a vigorous peer review process. Peer-reviewers ranked the proposals on the basis of intellectual merit, broader impacts, relevance to OTREC’s theme and the national transportation research agenda. There were 29 research, 4 education and 3 technology transfer projects selected. Ten are multi-campus and 18 are multi-PI, reflecting great collaboration. The list of 2007-2008 projects, including abstracts, can be found here: 2007-2008 Projects