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June 2004
In this issue
Special research conference coverage
The CTS Fifteenth Annual Transportation Research Conference was marketed as a way to share cutting-edge alternatives in areas of mobility, finance, and technology—and it certainly lived up to its billing. This issue of the CTS Report features extended coverage of the conference, held May 4–5 in St. Paul. Coverage includes:
The annual CTS Transportation Research Conference brings researchers, policy makers, and transportation professionals to the Twin Cities to explore new ideas in technology, public policy, and research.
- Action needed now to deal with U.S.
energy and greenhouse gas challenges
A plenary presentation titled "On the Road in 2030: Technologies for More Sustainable Transportation," by Professor John B. Heywood of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and panel discussion with Professor Alfred Marcus of the U's Carlson School of Management and Eivind Stenersen of Donaldson Company (Opening session panel). - Finance shifting from fuel tax to local
measures, tolls
A luncheon presentation titled "An Unseen (or Quiet) Revolution in Transportation Finance," by Professor Martin Wachs of the University of California at Berkeley. - Scenarios predict adequacy of Minnesota
road taxes in 2030
Will statewide taxes keep pace with road costs over the next 25 years? Barry Ryan, research fellow in the Department of Applied Economics, outlined different scenarios to help answer this question. - Telework and e-shopping take on traffic
congestion
Integrating telecommuting policies into a broad economic and community-building strategy may help combat traffic congestion, according to John Sanger of St. Paul-based Tele-Commuter Resources, Inc. - Chromatic perception affects snowplow
visibility
When plows are operating in blowing snow their orange color may actually make it harder for other drivers to judge their movement, according to Albert Yonas and Lee Zimmerman. - New tool to help officials set biodiesel
policies
Doug Tiffany is investigating current usage patterns of diesel and fuel oil and developing a tool that policymakers can use to aid in their decisions about the future of biodiesel.
Other News
HOT lane experts share evaluation findings,
inform I-394 planning
Experts from three high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane sites gathered
in Minneapolis on April 23 to share their evaluation findings and
help inform Minnesota's approach to an upcoming HOT lane site on
I-394.
Twin Cities-area highways: changing
politics, participants, and institutions
Those interested in Minnesota's highways will be able to learn
about the history of the politics involved in the creation of the
Twin Cities' highway system in the upcoming research report, Twin
Cities Area Highways: Changing Politics, Participants, and Institutions.
CTS publications catalog available
The 28-page catalog lists transportation-related research reports,
publications, videos, and other materials published or produced
by CTS and its affiliated programs.
Maintenance workers learn new skills at training
expo
This year's Spring Maintenance Training Expo attracted more than
550 state, county, and city highway and street workers from all
across the state as well as other interested parties.
CLM presents awards
Twin Cities Roundtable of the Council of Logistics Management (CLM)
announced several awards at its March meeting.