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Below are highlights from a few of our most recent newsletters, as well as headlines from other sources covering University of Minnesota transportation-related research, education, and outreach activities. Each of our newsletters has its own archive, under CTS Publications.

Researchers find that China's pollution related to e-cars may be more harmful than gasoline cars
UMNews, February 13, 2012
Electric cars have been heralded as environmentally friendly, but new findings from an international research team suggest that electric cars in China have an overall impact on pollution that could be more harmful to health than gasoline vehicles. University of Minnesota civil engineering assistant professor Julian Marshall and researcher Matthew Bechle are part of an international team studying the issue.

U of M research aims to curb distracted driving
KSTP-TV News, February 12, 2012
Researchers at the University of Minnesota are coming up with new ways to curb distracted driving, especially among young people. Max Donath from the university's Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute talks with 5 EYEWITNESS News about a game that creates distractions for drivers on a virtual road.

U-M transit research leads to biz
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, February 10, 2012
When Henry Liu began researching ways to make traffic signals more efficient, he never considered that his discoveries could one day become marketable products. But Liu might one day see technology he and his research team developed at the University of Minnesota improve traffic conditions in a growing number of U.S. cities.

Distraction Dodger premieres at Teen Safe Driving Summit

Distraction Dodger, an online game developed by the ITS Institute, premiered at the 4th Annual Teen Safe Driving Summit on Thursday, February 2, at the Rosemount Community Center. The game, designed to help teens and young adults understand the importance of concentrating on driving, has already received attention with an award at the 2011 International Serious Play Conference.

Interstates fastest during snowy commute — or not
Star Tribune, January 28, 2012
Do you wait out the gridlock or flee to the side streets? The average commute time in the Twin Cities is 22.9 minutes, according to Census figures. During a storm, it can take two to three times longer. Experts disagree on how exactly to speed that up. "If you see congestion on the freeway, you may be better off to take an arterial parallel street," said Henry Liu, an associate professor in civil engineering at the University of Minnesota.

Proposed state help gives push to $1.25B Southwest light rail
Minnesota Daily, January 26, 2012
Plans to build the Southwest Corridor light-rail transit line, which would connect Minneapolis with Eden Prairie, are gaining momentum. The Southwest line will promote economic development, but it will take a while before the full benefits are realized, said Lance Neckar, a University of Minnesota professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture.

Collision in the making between self-driving cars and how the world works
New York Times, January 23, 2012
The implications of autonomous vehicles were debated by Silicon Valley technologists, legal scholars, and government regulators last week at a daylong symposium sponsored by the Law Review and High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University. University of Minnesota researcher Frank Douma presented at the symposium, where he said that many simple questions—like whether the police should have the right to pull over autonomous vehicles—have yet to be answered.

University researcher presents at conference on self-driving cars
Mercury News, January 19, 2012
Cars that drive themselves may still be more common in science fiction than on local highways, but legal experts, transit planners—and yes, insurance companies—are beginning to grapple with the implications of vehicles that are steered by artificial intelligence. "There's an idea that you can make the highway system more efficient if you can pack the road with the maximum number of cars, traveling as close together as possible, at a constant speed," said Frank Douma, a transportation expert at the University of Minnesota who is speaking at the SCU Law School conference.

Accessibility matrix used to compare U.S. cities
PLoS ONE, January 12, 2012
A recently published paper by David Levinson, Braun/CTS Chair in Transportation Engineering, outlines the use of an accessibility matrix to compare U.S. cities. The project, part of the Access to Destinations Study coordinated by CTS, examined how network scale and connectivity vary with city size.

Minnesota Traffic Observatory makes transportation smarter
Business @ the U of M, January 12, 2012
To improve your daily commute, the Minnesota Traffic Observatory plays a major role behind the scenes, studying everything from busy intersections to electronic toll lanes. Safety is the lab’s top priority. The observatory, which falls under the umbrella of the University of Minnesota’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, is a high-tech transportation lab that develops tools for surveying, monitoring and managing traffic systems.

U of M startup uses mobile app to monitor and coach teen driving skills
UMNews, January 12, 2012
Using research from the University of Minnesota, the company Drive Power, LLC, aims to change grim statistics for teen drivers involved in crashes by introducing DriveScribe, a revolutionary mobile app that encourages safe driving habits and provides real-time coaching to novice drivers. The technology was developed by University mechanical engineering department researchers through research funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the ITS Institute.

Good Question: Are cell phones the most distracting?
WCCO-TV, December 13, 2011
The National Transportation Safety Board wants every state to ban all cell phones used by drivers—no texting, no talking, not even hands-free. But are cell phones more distracting than any of the other distractions inside our cars? According to ITS Institute Director Max Donath, crash statistics indicate that there is a serious problem.

Are streetcars the answer to our transit and environmental needs?
MinnPost, December 12, 2011
Patrick Condon, an urban planner and professor at the University of British Columbia, wants to turn back the clock to the streetcar era. Speaking last week at the CTS Fall Luncheon, Condon said bringing back the streetcar is the best thing cities can do to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases and become more sustainable.

Minnesota's transportation system needs more money
MinnPost, November 29, 2011
Just three years after the passage of a major state transportation funding bill, Minnesota transportation advocates are beginning a public education campaign for another increase in funding to address what they see as major unmet needs. They hope to enlist support from the business community to make the case that increased infrastructure investments are critical to growing the economy of the state and the Twin Cities metro area, and keeping us competitive with other regions around the nation and world. These goals were articulated at a CTS-cosponsored forum held November 28 in St. Paul.

Transforming the Twin Cities into a robotics hub
St. Paul Pioneer Press, November 11, 2011
The little robot scuttling across the floor at ReconRobotics will likely never get a casting call from Hollywood. It weighs less than a pound, rolls on knobby plastic wheels at either end of a headless, armless cylinder and communicates through insect-like antennas. "It's just a camera on wheels," said Nikolaos Papanikolopoulos, head of the University of Minnesota's Center for Distributed Robotics. "Why is it so popular? Because it does a very dangerous job and it saves lives." The robot will be one of the stars of Robotics Alley, the first regional conference on robots. The conference has an ambitious goal—to transform the Twin Cities into the hub for a Midwestern robotics industry.

Reducing traffic congestion with buses that could drive themselves
Automobile Magazine, November 9, 2011
The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority’s bus simulator in Burnsville, Minnesota, is used to train bus drivers to operate the Bus 2.0 system, which employs a host of technology to assist drivers piloting buses in the Twin Cities region’s narrow bus lanes and bus-only shoulders. According to Craig Shankwitz, director of the University of Minnesota’s Intelligent Vehicles Laboratory, the region has more miles of bus-only lanes than the rest of the country combined. “We know that we’ve beaten congestion with the buses on the shoulders,” Shankwitz says, “but it becomes difficult to use the narrow shoulders during bad weather. With our system, weather no longer matters, and passengers are provided really reliable service.”

University of Minnesota startup to improve traffic flow on congested roads
The University of Minnesota's Office of Technology Commercialization recently signed a licensing agreement with startup company SMART Signal Technologies Inc. to commercialize a traffic management system developed by civil engineering professor Henry Liu. The SMART Signal system collects traffic data from signal controllers and generates real-time arterial performance measures. Traffic engineers can use this information to improve traffic flow on roads controlled by traffic lights—reducing congestion and saving drivers both time and fuel.

Is alternative fuel vehicle right for you?
KARE 11, October 27, 2011
University of Minnesota energy economist Doug Tiffany has developed an online tool to help car-shoppers decide if an alternative vehicle is right for them. The tool is designed to help consumers compare newer models with established hybrids. Shoppers can test various scenarios, such as higher gas prices and miles driven per year, to aid in their decisions.

High-tech traffic control: UMD research creates vehicle-to-vehicle technology that could save lives
University of Minnesota Duluth homepage, September 2011
As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s IntelliDrive research initiative, researchers are developing a range of applications that transmit data between moving vehicles and between vehicles and the transportation infrastructure. UMD electrical and chemical engineering professor Imran Hayee and a team of graduate students have designed a potentially life-saving system that transmits congestion data to motorists near work zones, where traffic jams are common and collisions with maintenance workers are a safety hazard.

Scenic byways promoted as direct impacts on tourism
Park Rapids Enterprise, September 24, 2011
The Lake Country Scenic Byway and Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway economic impact study were discussed at a workshop featured at the National Scenic Byway conference recently held in Minneapolis… Added University of Minnesota economist Brigid Tuck, “It is harder to understand the value of the indirect impacts so it may be of greater value to only identify the direct impacts.”

Hwy. 52 is inching closer to becoming a freeway
StarTribune, September 24, 2011
Between St. Paul and Rochester on Hwy. 52, Cannon Falls could be called Stoplights' Last Stand. And the end is near. The divided four-lane highway, much of it rural with a 65 mph speed limit, had grown increasingly dangerous as growth and commuting between the Twin Cities and Rochester added more cars.... South of Cannon Falls, MnDOT is trying out a new dynamic sign at the intersection of Goodhue County Road 9. The signs gauge speed, traffic volume and the size of approaching vehicles and lets drivers know if there's time to safely pull out onto the highway.

Mechanical Engineering resources, TAs strained by enrollment
Minnesota Daily, September 22, 2011
The mechanical engineering department is busting at its seams with students, and its equipment, space and staff are struggling to accommodate them.... An unfulfilled demand for students skilled in science, engineering and mathematics, combined with high starting salaries, has led to the increase in students, said William Durfee, a professor in mechanical engineering. The motion control lab taught by mechanical engineering professor Rajesh Rajamani fills up almost the day registration opens.

Cycling route site to expand statewide
StarTribune, September 21, 2011
The website that gives bicyclists personalized routes from one end of the Twin Cities to another -- noting bike lanes, busy streets and even potholes along the way -- is set to expand to the rest of the state… Cyclopath was created and maintained by computer scientists at the University of Minnesota.

At peace with his defeat, Jim Oberstar relishes family time, still shares transportation expertise
MinnPost, September 20, 2011
The list of things named in Jim Oberstar's honor keeps growing. On Monday, the former 8th District Democratic congressman was at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs for the awarding of the first-ever James L. Oberstar Fellowship.

CSE route-sharing project for bicyclists to expand statewide
Minnesota Daily, September 19, 2011
A community of Minneapolis bikers that share route secrets is about to spread throughout the state. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is funding a statewide website expansion of Cyclopath — a biking navigation project created and run by the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering

Foot-powered progress moves ahead in Twin Cities
MinnPost, September 19, 2011
In the United States, you are three to five times more likely to die in a bicycling crash than in European countries that have gotten serious about the safety of nonmotorized travelers… The next few weeks will be particularly rich in ribbon-cuttings of bike lanes, a University of Minnesota bicycle service center and even the state's first bicycle stop light.... a free online bicycle routing site, sort of a Google Maps for two-wheelers, offers detailed trip guidance.

Editorial: Progress, hurdles for transit projects
StarTribune, September 18, 2011
Two major transit projects recently in the news -- the Southwest Corridor light-rail line and the Cedar Avenue bus rapid-transit line -- represent the kind of transit advances that can help unclog roads and keep the Twin Cities competitive with other metro areas…This may sound familiar to those who followed the litigious disputes between the Metropolitan Council and the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Public Radio that threatened to derail the Central Corridor light-rail line that's currently under construction.

CTS brings transportation fun and brainpower to the Minnesota State Fair
August 31, 2011

Teen driving restrictions show mixed results
MSNBC, September 13, 2011
Programs that keep young drivers from taking the wheel at night, or with a car full of teens, may reduce the risk of fatal crashes in some drivers -- but increase that risk in others. Researchers still need to tease out whether driving restrictions help teens drive more safely -- or whether they just take them off the road, without necessarily improving behavior and future driving, said Pinar Karaca-Mandic, a health economist from the University of Minnesota.

Farm runoff -- 'If you won't swim in it, you can do better'
Minnesota Public Radio, September 13, 2011
Farmers in Minnesota are required to have a 50-foot buffer between row crops like corn and beans and public water bodies, but corn and soybean farmer Bruce Tiffany has gone one better. His grass and wildflowers stretch for 1,000 feet... "If you step back, controlling water as it moves over the land is what we deal with on all of our landscapes," says University of Minnesota researcher Gary Sands who specializes in drainage issues.

High-speed rail to Duluth gains steam
Minnesota Daily, September 13, 2011
Plans to build a high-speed train line that would connect the Twin Cities with Duluth are gaining momentum. The Federal Railroad Administration recently approved the proposed route for the Northern Lights Express (NLX) rail line. While NLX officials project the rail line will be operational in about five years, other transportation experts guess it won’t be running until 2025. U of M civil engineering professor David Levinson believes that other rail projects, such as the Bottineau Boulevard Transitway, Central Corridor light rail and the Southwest Transitway will take priority.

U to implement bike reward system
Minnesota Daily, September 8, 2011
With the help of a 2-inch rectangular Radio Frequency Identification chip, the University of Minnesota hopes to encourage more people to bike by offering rewards—discounts on bike repairs, bike equipment, and even on health insurance premiums. The system, the first of its kind in the country, will be based out of the University’s Bike Center, which will begin installing chips and registering riders for free when it opens next week. Greg Lindsey, professor and interim dean at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, believes that the RFID system could eventually provide valuable information on what bike routes are used most heavily.

Highway funding system is running out of gas
MinnPost, September 1, 2011
If you just swapped your gas-guzzling SUV for a hybrid or a fuel-efficient subcompact car, you're doing your part to save the planet and reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil. But you're killing our fuel-based system for funding highway construction and maintenance. A growing number of transportation researchers and advocates are recommending a change to a mileage-based system of highway user fees. Their conclusions are summarized and amplified upon in a ITS Institute report completed in August.

Bacon’s New Favorite Acronym: MBUF
Bacon's Rebellion, August 31, 2011
As the U.S. automobile fleet shifts to higher mile-per-gallon vehicles and, eventually, to electric cars, the gasoline tax will become increasingly outmoded as a revenue source for transportation. No serious person disagrees. The question is: What do we replace it with? Another report, this one from the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota, makes the case for MBUFs (Mileage-Based User Fees).

CTS brings transportation fun and brainpower to the Minnesota State Fair
August 31, 2011
CTS and the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Institute again brought innovative transportation research to the Minnesota State Fair on August 25 and 26 with an exhibit featuring SafeRoadMaps and Gridlock Buster. Fairgoers also competed for scooters and other prizes during eight wild rounds of "Transportation Jeopardy."

Bike route site adds transit, plans to expand statewide
Minnesota Public Radio, August 30, 201
Cyclopath, a handy bike-route website developed by faculty and students at the University of Minnesota's Computer Science and Engineering Department, is expanding statewide. MnDOT is providing the funds for the project, which will start this fall and take about a year and a half to complete. Professor Loren Terveen says it's a big task.

Mileage-based user fees could work, says study
Planetizen, August 29, 2011
The Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota has prepared a comprehensive report on the shortcomings of the fuel tax and how to transition to what they call a mileage-based user fee, a form of a vehicle-miles-traveled fee.

Roundabout confusion in Richfield keeps going
StarTribune, August 26, 2011
The city is taking steps to help flustered drivers at busy roundabout. If the confusion is baffling to traffic engineers, who say roundabouts aren't that different from regular intersections, it does not surprise John Hourdos, director of the Minnesota Traffic Observatory at the University of Minnesota. He is doing a state-funded study on driver behavior and the effects of signs and striping in the Richfield roundabout.

Hitting the re-set button on state bike and pedestrian policies
Twin Cities Daily Planet, August 25, 2011
In 2010, the Minnesota State Legislature revised and adopted statewide transportation goals, seeking to foster an increase in the percentage of trips made by transit, bicycling, or walking… Currently it is working with consultants at the University of Minnesota to develop measures for bicycling and walking, including a standardized method for doing counts.

Mileage-based user fees a better long-term option than gas tax
AASHTO Journal, August 19, 2011
Fuel taxes are not sustainable for funding the nation's surface transportation system, but mileage-based user fees would be, concludes a report recently published by the ITS Institute. The report, part of the ITS Institute's TechPlan program, assesses whether the current use of fuel taxes to fund the transportation system should be replaced with new distance-based approach of user fees.

Jim Oberstar's congressional work continues to be felt
Northland's News Center, August 12, 2011
Former Congressman Jim Oberstar may no longer be a member of the House of Representatives, but his years of public service continue to be felt. Proctor leaders thanked Oberstar on Friday for helping to secure a Federal Transportation Grant to Build Kirkus Street, which will include a bridge over the CN Railroad… He said he's enjoying his freedom and that he's been busy with invitations to speak to organizations all over the country, as well as teaching at the University of Minnesota...he also said he's looking into perhaps teaching at UMD.

Drainage Water and Nutrient Management Field Day is Aug. 23
Hutchinson Leader, August 11, 2011
The University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are hosting field events on Tuesday, August 23. Satish Gupta, University of Minnesota will be on hand to discuss streambank stability and sediment sources in the Minnesota River. Gary Sands and Mike Talbot, University of Minnesota, will present results about production and environmental benefits and limitations of controlled drainage.

Traffic Expert Talks Lowry Tunnel Woes
Fox 9 News, August 10, 2011
A semi-truck struck a light pole early Wednesday and overturned while entering the Lowry Tunnel on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis. The freeway was shut down for several hours and rush hour traffic diverted. The tunnel is a consistent source of commute congestion, so FOX 9 News spoke with John Hourdos, the director of the Minnesota Traffic Observatory, about why the section of road is a headache that isn’t likely to go away.

Video clip of ALERT System

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To improve safety at rural, two-way-stop intersections, researchers from the University of Minnesota Duluth, working with St. Louis County, Minnesota, developed the ALERT System (Advanced LED Warning Signs for Rural IntersecTions Powered by Renewable Energy). Sponsored by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board, this low-cost, dynamic warning system provides traffic information to drivers approaching the intersection using LED blinker signs.

New Normal: Transportation in Minnesota
Twin Cities Daily Planet, August 1, 2011
A recent study by the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs finds that eWorkPlace Minnesota, a state-sponsored program that promotes telecommuting for metro-area employees, has reaped many benefits.

Prospect Park sees opportunity
Minnesota Daily, July 27, 2011
University and Washington avenues will look much different with the Central Corridor light-rail cars running through it.... According to a study by Humphrey School of Public Affairs professor Ed Goetz, the Hiawatha light-rail line was a major boost to development along the line. It produced 183 percent more construction projects than would have happened randomly, Goetz said.

Price tag, construction make the University’s parking lottery hard sell
Minnesota Daily, July 27, 2011
The final lottery drawing for parking spaces on campus was held Monday.... Frank Douma, a Humphrey School of Public Affairs research fellow who studies transportation policy, said the inconvenience of light-rail construction could lead more commuters to leave their cars at home and rely on other transportation like local buses.

Rail attracts many to city
Twin Cities Daily Planet, July 19, 2011
With shopping malls, pharmacies, and convenience stores nearby and mass transit handy, city living has become more attractive to many in an age of high gas prices and heightened environmental concerns. According to a 2009 report by the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota, the Hiawatha line has led to far more housing construction close to the line. Another report by CTS found that the light rail line made it easier for many low-wage workers to get to their jobs and created more low-wage jobs close to the rail.

U of M’s Grouplens Research Lab goes Cyclopath for Minnesota’s burgeoning bicycle community
TECHdotMN, July 13, 2011
The University of Minnesota’s human computer interaction and social computing research lab known as Grouplens has been busy leveraging technology to improve the riding experiences for Twin Cities bicyclists under a project called Cyclopath. Cyclopath is but one of the many ongoing research experiments being conducted by the collective group of 20-25 and led by faculty Loren Terveen, John Riedl, and Joseph Konstan.

New technology could save lives and money at rural intersections
KSTP-TV, July 11, 2011
An intersection safety system developed by ITS Institute researchers in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation is helping drivers at rural intersections make better decisions about when it is safe to cross the roadway. The system, currently installed at three intersections in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin, has the potential to reduce crashes, save lives, and save taxpayers millions of dollars as an alternative to expensive overpass projects.

Light rail hassles to bring greener future
StarTribune, July 4, 2011
The new light rail started construction in 2010 and is expected to have a serious green effect on the Twin Cities. An analysis by the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies found that more than 60 percent of light-rail riders surveyed in 2005 chose to ride light rail to avoid driving a car. The average rider lived more than 3 miles from the line.

Inside Track: Telecommuting pays off
StarTribune, June 27, 2011
Telecommuting pays off for private employers and the public, according to a study by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. A state-sponsored program for metro-area employers—eWorkPlace Minnesota—delivered $9 in benefits for every $1 spent, the study found. Adeel Lari of the Humphrey School said the state's $3.2 million investment will yield nearly $30 million over the next five years. And that doesn't count benefits such as productivity and environmental and quality of life gains.

New traffic technology near Milaca
Lakeland PTV, June 16, 2011
A newly installed intersection safety system is helping drivers at the intersection of Highway 169 and Mille Lacs County Road 11 make better decisions about when it is safe to cross the roadway. In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, researchers from the ITS Institute recently installed the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance Systems—Stop Sign Assist (CICAS-SSA) system because of the frequency and severity of crashes at the intersection.

Mileage-based fees not an easy sell
American City & County, June 15, 2011
While state DOTs see potential in the idea, convincing the public and lawmakers has not been easy. In June, the Texas Transportation Institute, University of Minnesota and the Center for Transportation Studies hosted the third annual Mileage Based User Fee Symposium to bring industry representatives together and share what they have learned through pilot projects and research.

Old roads hit hardest by heat wave
StarTribune, June 13, 2011
Minnesota Department of Transportation officials say that aging pavement is more susceptible to buckling because it has fewer expansion joints. University of Minnesota civil engineering Prof. Mihai Marasteanu said another problem is the failure of the caulking or sealants used to keep moisture and debris out of the joints.

MnDOT reports work on Minnesota Highway 23
St. Cloud Times, June 10, 2011
Motorists should plan for traffic restrictions and lane closures on Minnesota Highway 23 as Department of Transportation crews complete preventive maintenance seal coating to extend the life of the pavement Wednesday… In partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Intelligent Vehicles Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, MnDOT officials are striving to address motorists’ failure to stop at stop signs in rural through-stop intersections.

Researchers aim to make roadsides safer for officers
KSTP-TV, May 12, 2011
Researchers with the University of Minnesota are trying to figure out why so many law enforcement personnel and their vehicles are being hit on the side of the road.

Study examines connections between urban contiguity and nitrogen dioxide
Green Car Congress, May 8, 2011
A recent study by University of Minnesota researchers used satellite measurements to explore the relationship between urban form and air pollution. The research team, which included civil engineering assistant professor Julian Marshall, found that highly contiguous urban areas have lower nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

Mn/DOT-University truck parking project receives FHWA grant
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently awarded more than $2 million to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) for a University of Minnesota research project designed to deliver real-time information on parking availability to truck drivers using intelligent transportation systems technology. The U of M research team includes lead investigator Nikos Papanikolopoulos, Vassilios Morellas, Max Donath, Panos Michalopoulos, and Ted Morris. In addition to Mn/DOT, another project partner is the American Transportation Research Institute. The funding is provided through the Federal Highway Administration's Truck Parking Facilities Discretionary Grants Program.

Kane, Quimby: Shift gears to ease traffic congestion in the Twin Cities
St. Paul Pioneer Press, April 20, 2011
Minnesota is shifting gears in its approach to Twin Cities traffic congestion—a smart move given the limited impact of road-building on congestion, public-sector budget constraints, and the area's surprisingly good travel times compared to other major metro areas. State and metro-area transportation plans now aim less at free-flow traffic conditions at all times on busy highways and more at better access to where people want to be. Recent University of Minnesota research finds that despite congestion, the ease of reaching destinations in the Twin Cities has improved.

Pay tax by the mile, not gallon?
StarTribune, April 20, 2011
How about paying for roads and bridges by the miles you drive rather than the gasoline you burn? "The gas tax is really becoming less viable as a source of revenue to fund the transportation system," said Lee Munnich, who has researched miles taxes for the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota. "Very shortly we're going to start running out of money."

MnDOT to Study Mileage-Based User Fee to Replace Gas Tax
KSTP-TV, April 18, 2011
Do you drive regularly on a mix of rural and metro area roads? Next month, Hennepin and Wright Counties will begin looking for 500 people to be part of the Minnesota Road Fee Test this summer. MnDOT has contracted with several companies to conduct the technical side of the research and awarded a $395,000 contract to the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School to conduct a policy study.

Americans are driving more, but traffic deaths down
USA Today, March 31, 2011
Traffic fatalities in the U.S. fell to an all-time low in 2010 even as Americans drove more miles, according to new projections by the federal government. It's too early to explain why deaths keep falling, says Lee Munnich, director of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota. "Some of the credit can go to federal and state efforts to reduce fatalities," more states toughening seat belt laws "and the effect on fatalities as more people buckle up," he says.

Science Museum ‘flux’ calculator includes transportation patterns
A new online tool created by the Science Museum of Minnesota allows users to calculate their nutrient flux—the amount of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus they use and emit—based on factors including transportation patterns, home maintenance, and energy bills. Users can compare their amounts to average levels and get tips on reducing their emissions.

Rush hour traffic: Get ready to crawl
StarTribune, March 21, 2011
Almost twice as many miles of Twin Cities highways will be congested by 2030, even assuming that bus and rail ridership doubles, transportation analysts predict. The rush hour will become longer, people will avoid discretionary trips during it and four-day workweeks will become more common, said Jason Cao, a travel behavior analyst at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

With less money for roads, experts say pothole season could be worst yet
Minnesota Public Radio, March 14, 2011
Although there isn't a silver bullet that will eliminate potholes, Mn/DOT engineer Tim Clyne and University of Minnesota civil engineering professor David Levinson offer suggestions for minimizing the number of them that appear every spring.

For engineers, lessons in a deadly quake
Finance and Commerce, March 11, 2011
Minnesota civil engineering experts like Carol Shield are paying close attention to the most powerful earthquake in Japan’s history. Shield, a professor in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Civil Engineering, is among those involved in seismic testing and the never-ending study of earthquakes.

Americans drove 3 trillion miles in 2010, smarter road spending proposed
The Infrastructurist, March 3, 2011
America’s roadways may be getting older, but they’re still as active as ever. Last year drivers in the United States racked up nearly 3 trillion vehicle-miles traveled. That’s 20.5 billion miles more than were driven the previous year. That makes an intelligent approach to road maintenance all the more important. Matthew Kahn of U.C.L.A. and David Levinson of the University of Minnesota offer exactly that in a new report by the Hamilton Project called Fix It First, Expand It Second, Reward It Third: A New Strategy for America’s Highways.

CTS director featured in Minnesota magazine
 CTS director Laurie McGinnis was recently featured in the Spring 2011 issue of Minnesota, a quarterly publication of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. The article highlighted CTS research and the intersection of transportation research with issues such as climate change, driver behavior, and land-use planning. McGinnis also discussed how CTS research contributes to better transportation decision making and described her vision of making CTS a resource to the world.

Had a few too many? Your car's gonna know
Network World, March 1, 2011
In the not-too-distant future, your car may be able to detect the driver's blood alcohol concentration and, if it's over the legal limit, prevent the car from being started. "Forty percent of the population in this country doesn't drink, and many more don't drink and drive. We certainly don't want to inconvenience those people," said Susan Ferguson of the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety… "We understand that the public policy challenges are going to be certainly as much, if not more challenging than the technology," said Ferguson, who spoke recently at an event sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies.

Road trippers may be soon able to plot safest route online
USA Today, February 23, 2011
Savvy trip planners who line up the best hotel, resort, and restaurant deals before they hit the road soon could add another feature to their itinerary: the safest highways en route. An interactive website from the University of Minnesota's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety that allows drivers to plot fatal crashes on a map is very popular. SafeRoadMaps.org was founded in 2008 and received more than 10 million hits by mid-2010, says center director Lee Munnich.

To curb congestion, buses to ride on shoulders
Chicago Tribune, February 18, 2011
To battle congestion and reduce travel times, transportation officials will begin a long-awaited test of an innovative "bus-on-shoulder" express service in Chicago. The project will be similar to bus-on-shoulder service now used by several other cities, particularly Minneapolis. Bus-only shoulders have been in use in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since 1991. There are currently 271 miles of bus-only shoulders on the I-94 and I-35W expressways in the Twin Cities, 10 times more than the rest of the country combined, according to a report by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

U tech helps buses battle ice and snow
Minnesota Daily, February 16, 2011
Imagine driving a 12-ton city bus down a narrow shoulder that’s covered in ice and snow. Traffic’s driving past, leaving little room for error. Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Intelligent Transportations Systems Institute have developed technology that aids drivers and reduces their stress, which hopefully will cut down on accidents. The technology uses GPS-mapping to determine where the shoulder lanes are.

Plans for fast Twin Cities-Chicago train hit speed bump
Star Tribune, February 8, 2011
Prospects for a high-speed train between the Twin Cities and Chicago in the foreseeable future have disappeared, the casualty of funding shortfalls and political priorities. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker refused to accept federal money to build a link in the line. But transportation officials in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the federal government are continuing to work on proposals for a high-speed line. "Nobody wants to spend money because of the deficit," said University of Minnesota civil engineering professor David Levinson, "and these services don't pay for themselves, unfortunately."

Minneapolis start-up plans to commercialize device that prevents harmful sediment in urban runoff
StarTribune, February 4, 2011
Minneapolis-based start-up Upstream Technologies plans to commercialize a device called the "SAFL Baffle" that was developed at the College of Science and Engineering, the University of Minnesota said on Thursday. The device works by slowing down water runoff, thereby preventing the water from picking up harmful sediments. "Urban runoff hits the road, goes into the storm sewers and ends up in receiving water bodies like lakes and rivers," said John Guillver, a civil engineering professor in the U’s College of Science and Engineering and co-founder of the SAFL Baffle. “Cities are required to treat urban runoff and are trying to figure out how to deal with this.”

University of Minnesota presenters at TRB Annual Meeting
The University of Minnesota was well represented at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, D.C. Engineering and public affairs researchers presented and discussed their recent research on a range of topics, including transportation planning, safety, congestion management, transportation finance and pricing, and pavement and bridge management. For more information, download a complete list (128 KB PDF) of University of Minnesota and Mn/DOT presenters.

A Towering Challenge
Sacramento Press, January 30, 2011
The warning signs were visible to those in charge of bridge maintenance and safety in Minnesota. In 1990 the federal government gave the I-35W bridge a rating of "structurally deficient," mainly because of the significant amount of corrosion in its bearings. In 2001, the University of Minnesota’s civil engineering department released a study highlighting the cracking in cross girders near the ends of the approach spans.

Buses using virtual world to navigate
Star Tribune, January 19, 2011
As snow fell and rush-hour gridlock worsened on Cedar Avenue S., bus driver James Geiger couldn't see the road markings beneath the snow and slush -- but he kept rolling right down the shoulder. Geiger was piloting a Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) bus through a virtual world, projected before his eyes on a drop-down viewfinder. His bus was equipped with a new navigational system designed at the University of Minnesota. Using a combination of GPS, laser sensors and visual and tactile alerts, the system aims to help drivers navigate shoulders where there is little room for error.

Technology aids bus drivers on narrow shoulder lanes
UTC Spotlight, January 2011
A driver-assistive system developed by the Intelligent Vehicles Laboratory at the University of Minnesota's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Institute helps bus drivers operate safely and comfortably on bus-only shoulder lanes—even in adverse weather conditions and heavy traffic. With funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Urban Partnership Agreement program, buses equipped with the system will soon provide express service between downtown Minneapolis and the city's southern suburbs.

Bullet trains to Chicago in less than three hours? High-speed rail alliance launches study
MinnPost, December 20, 2010
The Midwest High Speed Rail Association (MHSRA), a privately-funded rail passenger alliance based in Chicago, is examining a plan that would use "bullet trains"—comparable to those in Europe, Japan, and China that exceed 200 miles an hour—to link the Twin Cities and Chicago. MHSRA director Richard Harnish outlined the study in early December during a presentation to a small gathering convened by the State and Local Policy Program at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and by CTS. His talk was titled "A Train to Chicago in Three Hours—or Less."

SE Minnesota highway intersection chosen as site for safety study
Marshall Independent, December 16, 2010
Just how dangerous is traveling on or crossing Minnesota Highway 23 around Marshall, Minnesota? Dangerous enough that researchers from the University of Minnesota have chosen the four-lane highway's intersection with Lyon County Road 7 as one of three places in Minnesota where it will conduct a collision avoidance study. The ITS Institute is installing and evaluating the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance Systems—Stop Sign Assist (CICAS-SSA) at the intersection, beginning in April 2011.

Rural intersection system begins field test; reports published
Recent research has shown that gap acceptance problems, rather than issues such as stop sign violations, are the key factor contributing to crashes at unsignalized rural through-stop intersections. But a groundbreaking system now being evaluated at an intersection in rural Goodhue County, Minn., could reduce the number of such crashes by giving drivers reliable, accurate information about approaching traffic. The system, developed by researchers from the ITS Institute's Intelligent Vehicles Lab and HumanFIRST Program in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, uses multiple sensors and advanced computer algorithms to track vehicles moving along a rural divided highway.

Measuring What Matters: Second Access to Destinations research summary published
Despite congestion, Twin Cities residents are finding it easier than in years past to reach many destinations in the metropolitan region. This improvement in accessibility, researchers say, is due to land-use changes and higher development densities. This finding is one of many in Measuring What Matters: Access to Destinations (724 KB PDF), a new research summary from the CTS-led Access to Destinations Study. The document synthesizes findings from the study’s 11 research projects. Funding sponsors included the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Hennepin County, and the McKnight Foundation, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council.

Bus 2.0 research recognized with transit award
ITS Institute News, October 8, 2010
Craig Shankwitz, director of the Intelligent Vehicles Lab at the ITS Institute, received the Management Innovation Award from the Minnesota Public Transit Association on September 13 for his research team's work on the Bus 2.0 driver-assistive system, which is part of a $133.3 million federally funded state project to improve traffic flow on I-35W between downtown Minneapolis and the southern suburbs. Shankwitz shared the award with Michael Abegg, transit planning manager at the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, a project partner.

ITS-related departments perform well in NRC review
In arguably one of the most comprehensive reviews of doctoral programs in history, the University of Minnesota performed well, university officials said Sept. 28. Sixty-nine of the university’s more than 100 doctoral programs were ranked in the National Research Council assessment, which provides universities across the country with a range of quantitative data so they can improve graduate education. Scoring especially well were the Department of Civil Engineering, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, all home to many ITS Institute-supported faculty and student researchers.

Smart Phones Let Parents Track Teen Drivers
WCCO-TV News, September 15, 2010
If you're a parent with a teenager or a soon to be teenager, the thought of them getting behind the wheel probably makes you nervous. But what if you could monitor their driving behavior at all times, even when you're not in the car? Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a tool to help you do just that. "This is a tool to help a parent be a better parent," said researcher Max Donath.

Toyota involved in fatal crash may help solve acceleration mystery
Minnesota Public Radio, September 7, 2010
The Toyota Camry belonging to St. Paul man Koua Fong Lee could help solve the mystery of why so many Toyotas are in crashes involving sudden acceleration. Lee's case is a vivid example of how difficult it is to single out one cause for sudden acceleration. Today's cars depend on multiple lines of software code, signals, and sensors to communicate a driver's actions and control the car. Rajesh Rajamani, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Minnesota, explains that "as the number of systems on a car increases, the potential for software and electronic hardware failures just increases so much."

Study: Drivers more prone to risk-taking on rural highways
Minnesota Public Radio, September 3, 2010
The perception that rural roadways are safer is common. But Minnesotans are much more likely to die on rural highways than on roads in urban areas where most people live, according to a traffic safety survey done by the university's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety.

Impact of Bemidji Regional Airport exceeds $27 million
Bemidji Pioneer, August 27, 2010
The total economic impact of Bemidji Regional Airport for 2009 is $27.88 million, according to a University of Minnesota study conducted by the Department of Applied Economics and North Central Research and Outreach Center. The activity also led to 446 jobs county-wide that year.

Using tech to curb deaths on Minnesota's roadways
Minnesota Public Radio, August 10, 2010
ITS Institute Director Max Donath and HumanFIRST Director Mike Manser discuss a range of technologies that save lives on the road, from digital maps and devices that keep drivers from drifting out of their lane to phones that alert parents if a young driver is violating Minnesota's graduated driver's license rules by being out too late or having too many passengers in the car. Seat belts are a crucial safety technology, as well.

Drivers have 'false sense of security' on rural highways, survey indicates
MinnPost, August 5, 2010
If you live in rural Minnesota—or if you're a city dweller who takes to country roads during the sweet summer months—you need to heed this new study at the University of Minnesota. Americans feel safer on rural roads, more free to talk on the phone, step on the gas, or sip a forbidden beer. After all, hardly anyone is around to get in your way. Right? Big mistake!

Drivers let guard down on riskier rural highways
USA Today, August 4, 2010
Drivers feel safer on rural highways and are more likely to drink or engage in distracted driving on these roads, even though rural roads are the most dangerous in the USA, a new survey finds. "People seem to feel more comfortable on those roads, even though the facts show that it's more dangerous," says Lee Munnich, director of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota. "They feel more relaxed and, as a result, they are engaging in behavior that is riskier," such as eating or using phones while driving.

Cities tackle traffic head-on with commuter options
USA Today, July 26, 2010
Spurred by a bridge collapse on I-35W in 2007 that killed 13 motorists and injured 145, Minnesota also has fundamentally changed its transportation funding system, approving billions for roads, bridges and transit; the state also gave metropolitan governments the power to implement sales taxes for transit improvements. ... David Levinson, a civil engineering professor at the University of Minnesota, cautions that everything being done here is "just pieces to a puzzle."

Transportation creating "nimble cities"
Minnesota Public Radio's Midmorning, July 15, 2010
David Levinson, the Braun/CTS Chair in Transportation Engineering and associate professor of civil engineering, and Tom Vanderbilt, journalist and author of the book "Traffic," discuss research and ideas for improving how we get around crowded cities. Congestion pricing, smart buses and highways, and roundabouts are a few of the ideas explored here.

Laurie McGinnis named CTS director
Laurie McGinnis has been appointed CTS director following a comprehensive national search process. McGinnis, who served as CTS acting director since the departure of Robert Johns in September, has been with the Center for 18 years. During that time, she has worked closely with CTS stakeholders, faculty and staff, funding organizations, and the Center's advisory committees. "As director of CTS, Ms. McGinnis will provide leadership, direction, and vision in achieving the mission of the Center," University officials said.

Intelligent vehicle systems defy bad weather
Better Roads, June 1, 2010
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) in partnership with the ITS Institute developed a pilot project using an Intelligent Specialty Vehicle System (ISVS) for a winter maintenance vehicle, more fondly known as a 'smartplow.'

Elbow Room on the Shoulder: DGPS-Based Lane-Keeping Enlists Laser Scanners for Safety and Efficiency
GPS World, July 1, 2010
A driver-assistive system developed by researchers at the Intelligent Vehicles Lab helps bus drivers operate safely in narrow shoulder lanes, using a combination of high-accuracy GPS, laser scanners, and onboard digital maps.

Survey finds drivers mistakenly believe winter is most dangerous travel time
UMNews, June 30, 2010
The vast majority of Americans interviewed in a new national poll believe winter is the most dangerous time for driving, but the truth is this coming Fourth of July weekend often is the deadliest time.

U Of M Study: Summer Driving The Most Dangerous
WCCO - TV, June 28, 2010
The University of Minnesota did a national poll where they asked, "When do you think the most dangerous time of year to drive is?"..."In general, you have a lot more fatalities in the summer months," said Lee Munnich of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota.

You're paying for 'free' parking
MinnPost, June 16, 2010
Hidden in plain sight is a huge nonuser subsidy for driving, one that researchers say rivals U.S. spending on Medicare and national defense... A dozen years ago, the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies estimated the annual costs of parking in the Twin Cities region at $1.1 billion to $3.9 billion.

National plans for high-speed rail affect local decisions
Eric C. Peterson, president of the American High Speed Rail Alliance, discussed the positive effects of high-speed rail as well as some challenges to its establishment in America at the 21st annual CTS Transportation Research Conference in April. "The entire high-speed rail initiative is predicated on the involvement and consent of local, state, and regional decision makers," Peterson said.

Luncheon speaker addresses the challenges and opportunities of emerging megaregions
Dr. Catherine Ross explored the phenomenon of megaregions and their global implications at the 21st annual CTS Transportation Research Conference in April. Dr. Ross, director of the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at Georgia Tech's College of Architecture, called megaregions "the new economic unit in world markets."

LED traffic lights may not be as safe as expected
Dayton Daily News, June 8, 2010
Federal transportation officials have been pushing local governments for several years to switch to brighter, more energy-efficient LED traffic signals... Mike Spack, president of Spack Consulting and Traffic Data Inc. and adjunct professor in the University of Minnesota's civil engineering department, called the study alarming on his blog "Mike on Traffic." He, too, said he hoped the Federal Highway Administration further studies LEDs.

U of M study: People don't mind big brother
FOX 9 News, June 5, 2010
By the number of drivers who contest their traffic tickets, you’d think there’d be total disdain for the number of squad cars on the road. Not so. It turns out, perhaps the opposite. According to a new University of Minnesota national survey, people are more open to different kinds of enforcement to keep themselves and others safe.

Survey: More support road rules
USA Today, June 3, 2010
Americans strongly support public policies to reduce highway deaths, including some measures that many elected officials consider too restrictive, such as alcohol ignition interlocks and traffic enforcement cameras, according to new national survey by the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota. "We were surprised by the level of support for these strategies," says Lee Munnich, director of the center.

Research improving sensor technology for bridges and roadways Government Technology
Government Technology, June 1, 2010
In 2009, the American Society of Civil Engineers graded the overall U.S. infrastructure with a "D" — the nation's bridges alone earned a "C." But research is under way to advance the capabilities and usability of bridge inspection and monitoring technology. Engineers at the University of Minnesota use hundreds of sensors on the new 35W bridge to analyze data and develop 3-D models of the information.

Investigators: Kids, Cars & Country Roads
FOX 9, May 23, 2010
This spring has been a deadly one on rural roads, especially for teen drivers. Ten teens have died, seven of whom were not wearing seat belts. In this report, FOX 9 focuses on teen drivers, seat belt use and rural roads. It also features an interview with Lee Munnich, director of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota

Low profile but high hopes for Cedar bus line
Star Tribune, May 22, 2010
Transit plans for Cedar Avenue may not have the high profile of the light rail and commuter rail projects across the metro area, but early ridership projections show the bus rapid transit line keeping up with or even exceeding the expectations of transit corridors with bigger names and price tags…"It maybe hasn't gotten as much attention as the rail projects, but I think it's very significant and going to carry a lot of passengers when the full system is completed," said Lee Munnich, a senior fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Mission considers road fee that would link properties, street use
Kansas City Star, May 19, 2010
The city of Mission, Kansas, is considering charging a fee to every property owner based on how many vehicle trips their land is calculated to produce. All homeowners would be charged the same fee regardless of home value or the number of household residents, which could be problematic according to experts. “Rich people travel a little bit more than poor people, but they live in homes that are a lot more valuable than poor people,” said David Levinson, a civil engineering professor at the University of Minnesota who has studied transportation fees and is co-author of a 2009 study on the issue.

Rural roads: Two lanes and treacherous
Star Tribune, May 18, 2010
A rash of fatal crashes in April highlights the ever-present dangers of Minnesota's rural roads. A lot of times people think they are safer on rural roads, so they take more risks," said Lee Munnich, director of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota.

U turns to technology to aid teen drivers and their parents
Star Tribune, May 1, 2010
U of M researchers are hoping intervention technology will make teenagers better drivers. The Teen Driver Support System goes well beyond seat belts and cell phones.

Is Minnesota's new teen driving law tough enough?
Star Tribune, April 28, 2010
After two horrible weekend crashes, some officials point to other states with stricter rules. Minnesota officials point out that crashes involving teen drivers have declined since the state's "graduated" license rules took effect in August 2008. "Clearly, there's been an improvement," said Max Donath, director of the University of Minnesota's Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute.

University of Minnesota study finds Hiawatha light-rail line has significantly improved job access for low-wage workers
University News Release, March 29, 2010
The Hiawatha light-rail line provides significant benefits for transit-dependent low-wage workers and improves overall transportation equity in the Twin Cities, according to new University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies research "Public transportation plays an important role in addressing poverty, unemployment and equal opportunity goals,” says Yingling Fan, the study’s principal investigator and an assistant professor in the university’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Central Corridor isn't just about moving people
Star Tribune, March 13, 2010
The Central Corridor light-rail line transit project is as important to economic development, new investment, and neighborhood revitalization as it is to moving people. A recent University of Minnesota study found that houses near Hiawatha light-rail stops in Minneapolis gained value after the line went into service.

UMD professor's concrete research featured in Popular Science magazine
Popular Science, February 2010
America has 4 million miles of crumbling roadways. Xun Yu, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at University of Minnesota Duluth, is hard at work developing a new style of concrete along with UMD director of transportation research programs Eil Kwon and research associate Baoguo Han. By mixing carbon nanotubes, roads in the future could withstand more weight with less cracking, sense how many vehicles are on the road in real time, and even know how fast traffic is flowing.

U of M hosts USDOT town hall discussion on U.S. transportation policy
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs on January 25 for the second stop of a nationwide listening tour on transportation policy. Secretary LaHood and Congressman Oberstar, along with USDOT administrators, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, and several local transportation leaders, led a town hall-style meeting to solicit views on ways to improve transportation programs as federal lawmakers craft the next big surface transportation bill. The event was hosted by the Humphrey School and CTS in cooperation with the USDOT.

State's roads aim for low-salt diet
Star Tribune, January 2, 2010
Amid rising concern over the effects that road salt has on Minnesota's lakes, streams and groundwater, public works officials around the state are whipping up new brews to spread on pavement. University of Minnesota researchers have estimated that 350,000 tons of salt are used in the metro area each year.

Smarter snowplows
UMNews, December 2009
U researchers are developing technology that may make life easier for snowplow drivers. An enhanced friction-measurement system helps to determine exactly where slippery patches are on roads so that salt and sand can be targeted to those areas. U researchers Rajesh Rajamani, Lee Alexander, and Gurkan Erdogan are developing the system for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

On transportation issues, Minnesota leads the pack
Minnesota Public Radio, December 16, 2009
The health care debate in Washington has got people wondering whether there is any hope for bipartisan decisions on the big issues facing our society... There was a glimmer of hope for bipartisanship last month at a forum on transportation policy held at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Simply Science: The science behind road salt
KARE-11, December 12, 2009
Kathleen Schaefer of Mn/DOT tells KARE-11's Sven Sundgaard how road salt works on snow and icy roads. Schaefer is the CTAP instructor with the Minnesota LTAP Center.

Can changing our transportation habits help meet the emissions goal?
Minnesota Public Radio, December 7, 2009
Even with the advent of light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit - not to mention talk of new rail links from Duluth to Chicago - Minnesotans still overwhelmingly depend on their cars... University of Minnesota urban studies and geography professor Judith Martin said two main factors influence our transportation carbon footprint.

Reducing motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota
Environmental Science & Technology, December 1, 2009
Approaches for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from motor vehicles include more-efficient vehicles, lower-carbon fuels, and reducing vehicle-kilometers traveled (VKT). Many U.S. states are considering steps to reduce emissions through actions in one or more of these areas. University of Minnesota researchers modeled several technology and policy options for reducing GHGs from motor vehicles in Minnesota. The researchers concluded that Minnesota has a viable approach to meeting its stated GHG reduction targets only if advancements are made in all three areas—vehicle efficiency, carbon content of fuels, and VKT.

Editorial: A push for safety on rural roads
Star Tribune, November 29, 2009
With many motorists planning trips for Christmas and New Year's, it's worth spending some time with SafeRoadMaps.org, a Web site created by the University of Minnesota's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety. The stark statistics on rural road fatalities show the value of the center's efforts. ... even though only 23 percent of the U.S. population can be classified as rural, fatalities on those roads accounted for 57 percent of all traffic deaths.

Chairman Oberstar visits University for transportation research update
U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, visited the University of Minnesota on November 12 for an update on the latest University transportation research. He met with Transportation Engineering and Road Research Alliance (TERRA) board members, tried out the HumanFIRST driving simulator, and toured the Minnesota Traffic Observatory (MTO), guided by CTS acting director Laurie McGinnis and ITS Institute director Max Donath. "I love what you're doing here," Oberstar said.

Crash avoidance technology advances
Minnesota Public Radio, November 25, 2009
Two innovations designed to help drivers avoid distraction-related crashes are being introduced. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is implementing a pioneering advisory speed limit system at I-35W south of downtown Minneapolis, using sensors embedded in the highway to trigger speed limit advisory signs. Another safety innovation is emergency braking systems, and Volvo is the first car manufacturer to make it available in showrooms. John Hourdos, director of the Minnesota Traffic Observatory, participated in a test of the new technology, which uses a video camera and laser beam to detect objects in front of the car and stops the car if the driver doesn't react.

Policy and technology of automated traffic enforcement
CTS Research E-News, November 2009
Automated enforcement of red-light running and speeding remains both a controversial public policy issue and an area of rapid technological development. A new report by University of Minnesota researchers John Adams and Barbara VanDrasek, sponsored by the University Metropolitan Consortium, reviews current legal and technological issues in the United States and around the world, focusing on implications for Minnesota.

Transitway impacts highlighted in research briefs
CTS Research E-News, November 2009
University of Minnesota researchers have completed a pair of studies examining the economic and behavioral impacts of the Hiawatha light-rail transitway in Minneapolis. Research briefs highlighting findings from the study are now available, and will soon be followed by full research reports. The research, part of the CTS Transitway Impacts Research Program (TIRP), was conducted by Edward Goetz and Jeff Mattson of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs and by Jason Cao of the Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Second-generation geospatial database to enable ITS applications
CTS Research E-News, November 2009
The University of Minnesota’s Intelligent Vehicles (IV) Laboratory, part of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, has developed a new version of its geospatial database software. The newly optimized database brings the benefits of real-time access to extremely accurate and dense geospatial data to a wider variety of ITS applications. The new system was developed by IV Lab researchers Bryan Newstrom and Curtis Olson, who documented the process in a recently published report; lab director Craig Shankwitz served as principal investigator on the project.

Recycled materials: How do they measure up?
CTS Research E-News, November 2009
University of Minnesota researchers have completed a pair of studies examining the economic and behavioral impacts of the Hiawatha light-rail transitway in Minneapolis. Research briefs highlighting findings from the study are now available, and will soon be followed by full research reports. The research, part of the CTS Transitway Impacts Research Program (TIRP), was conducted by Edward Goetz and Jeff Mattson of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs and by Jason Cao of the Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Middle schoolers prepare for transportation-themed robotics competition on campus
More than 250 young science enthusiasts from across Minnesota converged on the University of Minnesota campus October 15 for a morning of educational workshops and tours of research facilities. The event, hosted by the Institute of Technology, CTS, and educational nonprofit organization High Tech Kids, was planned to help the students prepare for "Smart Move," the 2009 FIRST LEGO League robotics competition.

U of M, Mn/DOT develop new snowplow
KSTP - TV, October 14, 2009
A smart new snowplow under development by the University of Minnesota and Mn/DOT may make roads safer while using less salt, which saves money and in turn helps the environment. U of M mechanical engineering professor Rajesh Rajamani, the developer of the plow, says the plow's sensor technology allows for a more targeted attack on snow and ice.

Rural Roads Are More Dangerous Than They Look
New York Times - Wheels Blog, October 9, 2009
With foliage season about to start and the Columbus Day weekend here, many people will be heading to the country and driving on back roads... "While most travel occurs in urban areas, there are more fatalities in rural areas," said Thomas A. Horan, research director at the University of Minnesota's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety.

More motorists die on rural roads
USA TODAY, October 6, 2009
Lee Munnich, director of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota, is quoted on how many more traffic fatalities (56% in 2008) happen in rural rather than urban roads.

Drivers and their toys: Unsafe at any speed?
Star Tribune, September 30, 2009
Federal officials, transportation experts, and academics are convening in Washington, D.C., for a first-ever summit on how to combat distracted driving.... "This is not a new topic," said Michael Manser, who's attending the Washington summit in his role as director of the HumanFIRST program at the U's Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute.

CTS brings transportation innovations to the Minnesota State Fair
CTS and the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Institute participated in the 2009 Minnesota State Fair on Sept. 4 with a booth featuring the latest transportation innovations. In addition, Star Tribune "Roadguy" blogger Jim Foti hosted four rounds of "Transportation Jeopardy" as fairgoers competed for prizes.

CTS Seminar Series begins September 10
The CTS Seminar Series begins September 10 with a seminar about privacy law for intelligent transportation systems (ITS), followed a week later with a two-hour seminar about the Value Capture for Transportation Finance Study. The seminars, which run weekly through early December, also will be broadcast live on the Web and available for later viewing.

VMT Tax Data System Is Technologically Feasible, University Study Finds
AASHTO Journal, August 28, 2009
A system drawing heavily on existing technology could be implemented in the near future to determine the distance traveled by a vehicle and use that information as the basis for charging a fee that reflects road use.

Technology Enabling Near-Term Nationwide Implementation of Distance-Based Road User Fees
TRB Transportation Research E-Newsletter, August 25, 2009
The Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute at the University of Minnesota has released a report that examines a system that directly determines the distance traveled by a vehicle and uses this as a basis for charging a fee that reflects road use.

Shrinking gas tax pot has state looking elsewhere
Pioneer Press, August 11, 2009
With driving on the decline and more fuel-efficient cars hitting the roads, our generations-long dependence on gasoline taxes to pay for roads, bridges and transit is, well, running out of gas... In 2008, the Legislature asked University of Minnesota researchers if there were a way to tap into property taxes.

Chairman Oberstar previews policy plans for transportation, economic stimulus
U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar discussed key transportation policy issues that will shape the next six-year federal transportation funding bill during an August 5 visit to the University of Minnesota. The event was hosted by the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and co-sponsored by the Humphrey School's State and Local Policy Program and CTS. Current transportation funding expires September 30 and Congress is now wrestling with its successor, which Oberstar, chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says is critical to economic recovery.

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'Gridlock Buster' gives kids a chance to play traffic manager
The ITS Institute and Web Courseworks have developed a new traffic control online game for high school students that lets them try their hand at working in the engineering and transportation field.

Play "Gridlock Buster"
Listen to WCCO Radio interview about the game (July 20, 2009)
Minnesota magazine, Fall 2009
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Near-term approach to VMT charging
Surface Transportation Innovations, July 16, 2009
What Max Donath and his engineering colleagues have proposed is an on-board unit that would plug directly into the vehicle data bus that has been standard on all vehicles sold in the United States since 1996.

Existing vehicle data bus, cellphone SMS proposed for near-term VMT charge
TollRoadsNews, July 10, 2009
Institute researchers have proposed a plug-in device and system for measuring miles traveled by a vehicle, and using it as a basis for charging fees that reflects road use.

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